bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Repeated fires reduce plant diversity in low‐elevation Wyoming big sagebrush ecosystems (1984–2014)
Authors: Mahood Adam L. , Balch Jennifer K. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractSagebrush is one of the most imperiled ecosystems in western North America, having lost about half of its original 62 million hectare extent. Annual grass invasions are known to be increasing wildfire occurrence and burned area, but the lasting effects (greater than five years post‐fire) that the resulting reburns have on these plant communities are unclear. We created a fire history atlas from 31 yr (1984–2014) of Landsat‐derived fire data to sample along a fire frequency gradient (zero to three fires) in an area of northern Nevada that has experienced frequent fire in this time period. Thirty‐two percent of our study area (13,000 km2) burned in large fires (over 404 ha) at least once, 7% burned twice, and 2% burned three or more times. We collected plant abundance data at 28 plots (N = 7 per fire frequency), with an average time since fire of 17 yr. We examined fire's effect on plant diversity using species accumulation curves, alpha diversity (Shannon's dominance, Pielou's evenness, and number of species), and beta diversity (Whittaker, Simpson, and Z indexes). For composition, we used non‐metric multidimensional scaling. We then used PERMANOVA models to examine how disturbance history, temperature, precipitation, and aridity around the time of the fire affected subsequent community composition and diversity. One fire fundamentally changed community composition and reduced species richness, and each subsequent fire reduced richness further. Alpha diversity decreased after one fire. Beta diversity declined after the third fire. Cover of exotics was 10% higher in all burned plots, and native cover was 20% lower than in unburned plots, regardless of frequency. PERMANOVA models showed fire frequency and antecedent precipitation as the strongest predictors of beta diversity, while time since fire and vapor pressure deficit for the year of the fire were the strongest predictors of community composition. Given that a single fire has such a marked effect on species composition, and repeated fires reduce richness and beta diversity, we suggest that in lower elevation big sagebrush systems fire should be minimized as much as possible, perhaps even prescribed fire. Restoration efforts should be focused on timing with wet years on cooler, wetter sites.
The potential role of intrinsic processes in generating abrupt and quasi‐synchronous tree declines during the Holocene
Authors: Ramiadantsoa Tanjona , Stegner M. Allison , Williams John W. , Ives Anthony R. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractMultiple abrupt and sometimes near‐synchronous declines in tree populations have been detected in the temperate forests of eastern North America and Europe during the Holocene. Traditional approaches to understanding these declines focus on searching for climatic or other broad‐scale extrinsic drivers. These approaches include multi‐proxy studies that match reconstructed changes in tree abundance to reconstructed changes in precipitation or temperature. Although these correlative approaches are informative, they neglect the potential role of intrinsic processes, such as competition and dispersal, in shaping tree community dynamics. We developed a simple process‐based community model that includes competition among tree species, density‐dependent survival, and dispersal to investigate how these processes might generate abrupt changes in tree abundances even when extrinsic climatic factors do not themselves change abruptly. Specifically, a self‐reinforcing (i.e., positive) feedback between abundance and survival can produce abrupt changes in tree abundance in the absence of long‐term climatic changes. Furthermore, spatially correlated, short‐term environmental variation and seed dispersal can increase the synchrony of abrupt changes. Using the well‐studied, late‐Holocene crash of Tsuga canadensis (eastern hemlock) populations as an empirical case study, we find that our model generates abrupt and quasi‐synchronized crashes qualitatively similar to the observed hemlock patterns. Other tree taxa vary in the frequency and clustering of abrupt change and the proportion of increases and decreases. This complexity argues for caution in interpreting abrupt changes in species abundances as indicative of abrupt climatic changes. Nonetheless, some taxa show patterns that the model cannot produce: observed abrupt declines in hemlock abundance are more synchronized than abrupt increases, whereas the degree of synchronization is the same for abrupt decreases and increases in the model. Our results show that intrinsic processes can be significant contributing factors in abrupt tree population changes and highlight the diagnostic value of analyzing entire time series rather than single events when testing hypotheses about abrupt changes. Thus, intrinsic processes should be considered along with extrinsic drivers when seeking to explain rapid changes in community composition.
CFD/FEA connected modeling and analysis of vapor cloud explosion at a wastewater storage pond of a chemical plant in Korea
Authors: Jang Chang Bong , Han Ji Yun , Jeong Gun‐Sik , Baek Ju‐Hong , Choi Kwon‐Young , Jung Seungho 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThis paper describes and reports an analysis of an explosion accident at a wastewater storage pond in South Korea, which resulted in six fatalities and one injury. This study was aimed at analyzing and determining the possibility of fracture of concrete structure by vapor cloud explosion (VCE) and ignition point of explosion, using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for the explosion simulation. The result obtained via CFD analysis was connected with finite element analysis (FEA) to accurately review the structural damages resulting from the explosion. As a result, the mechanism of the accident was determined, and preventive solutions against such accidents are recommended.
Study on the fire risk associated with a failure of large‐scale commercial LiFePO4/graphite and LiNixCoyMn1‐x‐yO2/graphite batteries
Authors: Wang Zhi , Zhu Kang , Hu Jianyao , Wang Jian 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThe fire hazards of fully charged large‐scale commercial LiFePO4/graphite and LiNixCoyMn1‐x‐yO2/graphite batteries are experimentally studied using a bench‐scale calorimetry apparatus. The battery burning process can be roughly summarized into three stages with significant criteria. The fire behaviors associated with LiNixCoyMn1‐x‐yO2/graphite battery give more splash spark, explosion, and gas/smoke ejection, while LiFePO4/graphite battery presents more jet flame. The sound signal may be a good choice for reflecting the battery state during thermal failure. The battery catches fire when average surface temperature (ST) reaches about 150°C. The maximum average STs for LiFePO4/graphite and LiNixCoyMn1‐x‐yO2/graphite batteries are approximately 535.3 and 658.7°C, respectively. The maximum heat release rate (HRR) of two batteries is comparable, while the total heat release for LiFePO4/graphite battery is higher than LiNixCoyMn1‐x‐yO2/graphite battery. The normalized heat release by initial mass of battery is found to be 2.304 and 3.133 kJ/g for LiFePO4/graphite and LiNixCoyMn1‐x‐yO2/graphite batteries, respectively. Besides, LiNixCoyMn1‐x‐yO2/graphite battery releases more CO and exhibits larger mass loss compared with LiFePO4/graphite battery. Finally, fire risk assessment for two batteries is also performed and discussed. In conclusion, LiNixCoyMn1‐x‐yO2/graphite battery is more hazardous than LiFePO4/graphite battery in current condition.
Potassic alkaline granitoid magmatism in the northern margin of the Tarim Craton: First evidence of a back‐arc extensional environment
Authors: Chen Genwen , Yang Jianxing , Liu Rui 
Published: February 2019

The tectonic setting of the northern Tarim Craton during the Palaeozoic is vital to our understanding of the subduction polarity of the paleo‐oceanic plates in the Tianshan Orogen and the accretion history of the south‐western Central Asian Orogenic Belt. We first identified granitoids intruding the Palaeoproterozoic metamorphic rocks in the Kurchu area in the northern Tarim Craton. The zircon LA‐ICP‐MS U–Pb dating of this rock indicates that its crystallization age is 418 Ma, highlighting a late Early Palaeozoic magmatic event. Compared with the contemporaneous granitoids in the southern margin of the Tarim Craton, the Kurchu granitoid has high K2O (6.17–7.25 wt.%) and high alkaline (Na2O + K2O = 9.48–10.56 wt.%) contents. The Rittmann index (σ) ranges from 3.53 to 5.68, and samples plot in the shoshonite series in the K2O–SiO2 diagram, indicating that the rock is a potassic‐alkaline granite (PAG). In addition, this granitoid shows high REE concentrations (264–817 ppm) with significant Eu anomalies and is depleted in Ba, Sr, Nb, Ta, Ti, and P but enriched in Zr and Hf. These geochemical characteristics and high (87Sr/86Sr)i (0.70857–0.70995) and low εNd(T) (−10.67 to −10.24) values of the Kurchu PAG indicate that this rock was derived from the partial melting of the crust. The diagenetic conditions of the Kurchu PAG are high temperatures, as recorded by higher zircon saturation temperatures (855–919°C), low diagenetic pressure, a less shallow emplacement depth recorded by lower Sr (<200 ppm) concentrations, and a low oxygen fugacity recorded by lower Eu* (0.17–0.89), higher Zr (>355 ppm) and Hf (>9.73 ppm) concentrations, and trace element contents of zircons. In various discrimination diagrams, all samples consistently plot in rift‐related areas. These geochemical and diagenetic features suggest that this magmatic event probably occurred in a back‐arc environment. Therefore, there is back‐arc basin occurring in the northern Tarim Craton in the Early Palaeozoic, which provides strong evidence that this region was an active margin probably much earlier than Silurian, necessitating the southward subduction of the South Tianshan Ocean.
What influences the sustainability of an effective psychosocial intervention for people with dementia living in care homes? A 9 to 12‐month follow‐up of the perceptions of staff in care homes involved in the WHELD randomised controlled trail
Authors: Fossey Jane , Garrod Lucy , Tolbol Froiland Christina , Ballard Clive , Lawrence Vanessa , Testad Ingelin 
Published: February 2019

ObjectivesThe study aims to understand the factors that care home staff felt enabled or hindered them in continuing to use the well‐being and health for people with dementia (WHELD) psychosocial approach in their care home and investigate whether there was sustained activity 9 to 12 months after the study ended.MethodsThis qualitative study is part of a wider clinical trial, which demonstrated effectiveness of a psychosocial intervention on quality of life outcomes and neuropsychiatric symptoms for residents. Forty‐seven care home staff within nine care homes in the United Kingdom participated in focus groups, between 9 and 12 months after the intervention had finished. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify themes and interpret the data.ResultsThe findings highlighted that staff continued to use a range of activities and processes acquired through the research intervention, after the study had ended. Three overarching themes were identified as influential: “recognising the value” of the approach for residents and staff, “being well practiced” with sufficient support and opportunity to consolidate skills prior to the withdrawal of the researchers, and “taking ownership of the approach” to incorporate it as usual care.ConclusionsThe WHELD approach can be sustained where the value of the approach is recognised, and sufficient support is provided during initial implementation for staff to build skills and confidence for it to become routine care. Further follow‐up is required to understand longer term use and the impact for residents.
Participation of integrin β3 in osteoblast differentiation induced by titanium with nano or microtopography
Authors: Lopes Helena B. , Freitas Gileade P. , Elias Carlos N. , Tye Coralee , Stein Janet L. , Stein Gary S. , Lian Jane B. , Rosa Adalberto L. , Beloti Marcio M. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThe major role of integrins is to mediate cell adhesion but some of them are involved in the osteoblasts–titanium (Ti) interactions. In this study, we investigated the participation of integrins in osteoblast differentiation induced by Ti with nanotopography (Ti‐Nano) and with microtopography (Ti‐Micro). By using a PCR array, we observed that, compared with Ti‐Micro, Ti‐Nano upregulated the expression of five integrins in mesenchymal stem cells, including integrin β3, which increases osteoblast differentiation. Silencing integrin β3, using CRISPR‐Cas9, in MC3T3‐E1 cells significantly reduced the osteoblast differentiation induced by Ti‐Nano in contrast to the effect on T‐Micro. Concomitantly, integrin β3 silencing downregulated the expression of integrin αv, the parent chain that combines with other integrins and several components of the Wnt/β‐catenin and BMP/Smad signaling pathways, all involved in osteoblast differentiation, only in cells cultured on Ti‐Nano. Taken together, our results showed the key role of integrin β3 in the osteogenic potential of Ti‐Nano but not of Ti‐Micro. Additionally, we propose a novel mechanism to explain the higher osteoblast differentiation induced by Ti‐Nano that involves an intricate regulatory network triggered by integrin β3 upregulation, which activates the Wnt and BMP signal transductions. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 107A: 1303–1313, 2019.
Degradation behaviors and cytocompatibility of Mg/β‐tricalcium phosphate composites produced by spark plasma sintering
Authors: Narita Kai , Tian Qiaomu , Johnson Ian , Zhang Chaoxing , Kobayashi Equo , Liu Huinan 
Published: February 2019

AbstractMagnesium (Mg)‐based materials have shown great potentials for bioresorbable implant applications. Previous studies showed that Mg with 10 and 20 vol % β‐tricalcium phosphate (β‐TCP) composites produced by spark plasma sintering, improved mechanical properties when compared with pure Mg. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the degradation behaviors of Mg/10% β‐TCP and Mg/20% β‐TCP composites in revised stimulated body fluid (rSBF), and to determine their cytocompatibility with bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) using the direct culture method. During the 11 days of immersion in rSBF, Mg/β‐TCP composites showed different degradation behaviors at different immersion periods, that is, the initial stage (0–1 hr), the mid‐term stage (1 hr to 2 days), and the long‐term stage (2−11 days). The counter effects of mass loss due to microgalvanic corrosion and mass gain due to deposition of Ca‐P containing layers resulted in slower Mg2+ ion release for Mg/20% β‐TCP than Mg/10% β‐TCP in the mid‐term, but eventually 16% mass loss for Mg/20% β‐TCP and 10% mass loss for Mg/10% β‐TCP after 11 days of immersion. The in vitro studies with BMSCs showed the highest cell adhesion density (i.e., 68% of seeding density) on the plate surrounding the Mg/10% β‐TCP sample, that is, under the indirect contact condition of direct culture. The β‐TCP showed a positive effect on direct adhesion of BMSCs on the surface of Mg/β‐TCP composites. This study elucidated the degradation behaviors and the cytocompatibility of Mg/β‐TCP composites in vitro; and, further studies on Mg/ceramic composites are needed to determine their potential for clinical applications. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 107B: 2238–2253, 2019.
Retracted: microRNA‐539 functions as a tumor suppressor in papillary thyroid carcinoma via the transforming growth factor β1/Smads signaling pathway by targeting secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor
Authors: Xu Cheng‐Bi , Liu Xue‐Shi‐Bo‐Jie , Li Jin‐Qiu , Zhao Xue , Xin Ding , Yu Dan 
Published: February 2019

AbstractPapillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common type of thyroid malignancy, with growing incidence every year. microRNAs (miRs) are known to regulate the physiological and pathological processes of cancers, such as proliferation, migration, invasion, survival, and epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT). Herein, this study aimed to investigate the effect of miR‐539 on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and EMT by targeting secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) via the transforming growth factor β1 (TGF‐β1)/Smads signaling pathway in PTC. First, PTC‐related differentially expressed genes and regulatory miR were screened using bioinformatics analysis, dual luciferase reporter gene assay, and ribonucleoprotein immunoprecipitation, which identified the SLPI gene and the regulatory miR‐539 for this study. We identified SLPI as a highly expressed gene in PTC tissues, and SLPI was targeted and negatively regulated by miR‐539. Then, we introduced a series of miR‐539 mimics, miR‐539 inhibitors, and small interfering RNA against SLPI plasmids into CGTHW‐3 cells to examine the effects of miR‐539 and SLPI on the expression of TGF‐β1/Smads signaling pathway‐, EMT‐, and apoptosis‐related factors, as well as cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. The obtained results indicated that CGTHW‐3 cells treated with silenced SLPI or overexpressed miR‐539 suppressed the cell proliferation, migration, invasion abilities, and resistance to apoptosis of PTC cells, corresponding to increased expression of Bcl‐2‐associated X protein, TGF‐β1, Sekelsky mothers against dpp 4, and epithelial cadherin, and decreased B cell lymphoma 2, Vimentin, and N‐cadherin. Altogether, we concluded that overexpressed miR‐539 could inhibit the PTC cell proliferation and promote apoptosis and EMT by targeting SPLI via activation of the TGF‐β1/Smads signaling pathway.
Warburg effect is involved in apelin‐13‐induced human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells proliferation
Authors: Zhou Qionglin , Xu Jin , Liu Meiqing , He Lu , Zhang Kai , Yang Yiyuan , Yang Xiao , Zhou Hong , Tang Mingzhu , Lu Liqun , Chen Zhe , Chen Linxi , Li Lanfang 
Published: February 2019

AbstractApelin is the endogenous ligand for the G protein‐coupled receptor APJ. Both apelin and APJ receptor are distributed in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and play important roles in the cardiovascular system. Our previous reports have indicated that apelin‐13 promoted the proliferation of VSMCs, but its exact mechanism remains to be further explored. The results of the present study demonstrated that the Warburg effect plays a pivotal role in apelin‐13‐induced human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (HA‐VSMCs) proliferation. Apelin‐13 promoted the expression of glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT1), pyruvate kinase 2 (PKM2), lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1), and monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. Moreover, apelin‐13 increased the extracellular, intracellular lactate level, and decreased adenosine triphosphate level in HA‐VSMCs. Furthermore, siRNA‐PKM2 reversed extracellular and intracellular lactate generation and inhibited the proliferation of HA‐VSMCs induced by apelin‐13. Downregulation of LDHA also significantly prevented extracellular and intracellular lactate generation and inhibited the proliferation of HA‐VSMCs induced by apelin‐13. Taken together, our results demonstrated a novel mechanism for HA‐VSMCs proliferation induced by apelin‐13 via Warburg effect.
Sequence‐Defined Introduction of Hydrophobic Motifs and Effects in Lectin Binding of Precision Glycomacromolecules
Authors: Boden Sophia , Reise Franziska , Kania Jessica , Lindhorst Thisbe K. , Hartmann Laura 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThis study investigates the influence of an increasingly hydrophobic backbone of multivalent glycomimetics based on sequence‐defined oligo(amidoamines) on their resulting affinity toward bacterial lectins. Glycomacromolecules are obtained by stepwise assembly of tailor‐made building blocks on solid support, using both hydrophobic aliphatic and aromatic building blocks to enable a gradual change in hydrophobicity of the backbone. Their binding behavior toward model lectin Concanavalin A (ConA) is evaluated using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) showing higher affinities for glycomacromolecules with higher content of hydrophobic and aromatic moieties in the backbone. Finally, glycomacromolecules are tested in a bacterial adhesion inhibition study against Escherichia coli where more hydrophobic backbones yield higher inhibitory potentials most likely due to additional secondary interactions with hydrophobic regions of the protein receptor as well as a change in conformation exposing carbohydrate ligands for increased binding. Overall, the results highlight the influence and thereby importance of the polymer backbone itself on the resulting properties of polymeric biomimetics.
Prenatal cell‐free DNA screening for fetal aneuploidy in pregnant women at average or high risk: Results from a large US clinical laboratory
Authors: Guy Carrie , Haji‐Sheikhi Farnoosh , Rowland Charles M. , Anderson Ben , Owen Renius , Lacbawan Felicitas L. , Alagia Damian P. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractBackgroundWe evaluated the performance of a cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) prenatal screening assay for trisomies 21, 18, and 13, and sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs) among a population of pregnant women that included both those at average and high risk.MethodsSpecimen collection, cfDNA extraction, massively parallel sequencing, and bioinformatics analysis were conducted per laboratory protocol. Assay results, concordance with pregnancy outcomes, and performance characteristics were evaluated.ResultsA total 75,658 specimens from 72,176 individual pregnant women were received. Technical reasons accounted for 288 (0.4% of all received samples) tests not performed. In the final analysis cohort (N = 69,794), 13% of pregnancies were considered at average risk and 87% at high risk. Mean gestational age at specimen collection was 15.1 weeks. Of the 69,794 unique pregnancies, 1,359 (1.9%) had positive test results. Among the results with confirmed outcomes, PPV for trisomies 21, 18, and 13 was 98.1%, 88.2%, and 59.3%, respectively; the PPV was 69.0% for SCAs and 75.0% for microdeletions. Overall, PPV was 87.2%, sensitivity was 97.9%, and specificity was 99.9%.ConclusionThis cfDNA prenatal screening assay provides highly accurate discrimination between affected and unaffected pregnancies among a population of pregnant women at average and high risk for fetal genetic abnormalities.
Bioraffineriekonzepte: mehr erreichen, ohne zu pressen
Authors: Pufky‐Heinrich Daniela , Steffler Fabian , Börner Gunter 
Published: February 2019

AbstractUm die Rapsverarbeitung effizienter zu machen, gibt es ein neues Verfahren, das Inhaltsstoffe schonend mit Ethanol extrahiert. Diese Technik eröffnet weitere Möglichkeiten, um Produkte aus Raps und anderen Ölsaaten zu gewinnen.
Der Farbstoff aus der Wöhlk‐Probe
Authors: Kussler Manfred W. , Ruppersberg Klaus 
Published: February 2019

AbstractEine Schutzgruppe in Position 4 der Glucose reicht, damit sich die alkalische Zuckerlösung mit Ammoniak oder Methylamin verfärbt. Nun gibt es Hinweise darauf, was chemisch bei positiver Wöhlk‐Probe beziehungsweise positivem Fearon‐Test passiert.