bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Foraging ecology of Eurasian lynx populations in southwest Asia: Conservation implications for a diet specialist
Authors: Mengüllüoğlu Deniz , Ambarlı Hüseyin , Berger Anne , Hofer Heribert 
Published: August 2018

AbstractIntraspecific variation in key traits of widespread species can be hard to predict, if populations have been very little studied in most of the distribution range. Asian populations of the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), one of the most widespread felids worldwide, are such a case in point. We investigated the diet of Eurasian lynx from feces collected Mediterranean, mixed forest‐steppe, and subalpine ecosystems of Turkey. We studied prey preferences and functional responses using prey densities obtained from Random Encounter Modelling. Our analysis revealed that the main prey was brown hare (Lepus europaeus) in all three areas (78%–99% of biomass consumed) and lynx showed a strong preference for brown hare (Chesson's selectivity index, α = 0.90–0.99). Cannibalism contributed at least 5% in two study areas. The type II functional response of lynx populations in Turkey was similar to the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) and daily food intake in grams per lynx matched that of Canada lynx and Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), both lagomorph specialists, rather than those of Eurasian lynx from Europe. Therefore, lynx in Turkey may be better described as a lagomorph specialist even though it coexists with ungulate prey. We suggest that ungulate‐based foraging ecology of Eurasian lynx in Europe may be a recent adjustment to the availability of high densities of ungulates and cannot be representative for other regions like Turkey. The status of lagomorphs should become an essential component of conservation activities targeted at Eurasian lynx or when using this species as a flagship species for landscape preservation.
Range‐wide population genetic structure of the Caribbean marine angiosperm Thalassia testudinum
Authors: van Dijk Kor‐jent , Bricker Eric , van Tussenbroek Brigitta I. , Waycott Michelle 
Published: August 2018

AbstractMany marine species have widespread geographic ranges derived from their evolutionary and ecological history particularly their modes of dispersal. Seagrass (marine angiosperm) species have ranges that are unusually widespread, which is not unexpected following recent reviews of reproductive strategies demonstrating the potential for long‐distance dispersal combined with longevity through clonality. An exemplar of these dual biological features is turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) which is an ecologically important species throughout the tropical Atlantic region. Turtle grass has been documented to have long‐distance dispersal via floating fruits and also extreme clonality and longevity. We hypothesize that across its range, Thalassia testudinum will have very limited regional population structure due to these characteristics and under typical models of population structure would expect to detect high levels of genetic connectivity. There are very few studies of range‐wide genetic connectivity documented for seagrasses or other sessile marine species. This study presents a population genetic dataset that represents a geographic area exceeding 14,000 km2. Population genetic diversity was evaluated from 32 Thalassia testudinum populations sampled across the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Genotypes were based on nine microsatellites, and haplotypes were based on chloroplast DNA sequences. Very limited phylogeographic signal from cpDNA reduced the potential comparative analyses possible. Multiple analytical clustering approaches on population genetic data revealed two significant genetic partitions: (a) the Caribbean and (b) the Gulf of Mexico. Genetic diversity was high (HE = 0.641), and isolation by distance was significant; gene flow and migration estimates across the entire range were however modest, we suggest that the frequency of successful recruitment across the range is uncommon. Thalassia testudinum maintains genetic diversity across its entire distribution range. The genetic split may be explained by genetic drift during recolonization from refugia following relatively recent reduction in available habitat such as the last glacial maxima.
Integrating complementary methods to improve diet analysis in fishery‐targeted species
Authors: Matley Jordan K. , Maes Gregory E. , Devloo‐Delva Floriaan , Huerlimann Roger , Chua Gladys , Tobin Andrew J. , Fisk Aaron T. , Simpfendorfer Colin A. , Heupel Michelle R. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractDeveloping efficient, reliable, cost‐effective ways to identify diet is required to understand trophic ecology in complex ecosystems and improve food web models. A combination of techniques, each varying in their ability to provide robust, spatially and temporally explicit information can be applied to clarify diet data for ecological research. This study applied an integrative analysis of a fishery‐targeted species group—Plectropomus spp. in the central Great Barrier Reef, Australia, by comparing three diet‐identification approaches. Visual stomach content analysis provided poor identification with ~14% of stomachs sampled resulting in identification to family or lower. A molecular approach was successful with prey from ~80% of stomachs identified to genus or species, often with several unique prey in a stomach. Stable isotope mixing models utilizing experimentally derived assimilation data, identified similar prey as the molecular technique but at broader temporal scales, particularly when prior diet information was incorporated. Overall, Caesionidae and Pomacentridae were the most abundant prey families (>50% prey contribution) for all Plectropomus spp., highlighting the importance of planktivorous prey. Less abundant prey categories differed among species/color phases indicating possible niche segregation. This study is one of the first to demonstrate the extent of taxonomic resolution provided by molecular techniques, and, like other studies, illustrates that temporal investigations of dietary patterns are more accessible in combination with stable isotopes. The consumption of mainly planktivorous prey within this species group has important implications within coral reef food webs and provides cautionary information regarding the effects that changing resources could have in reef ecosystems.
Weak population structure of the Spot‐tail shark Carcharhinus sorrah and the Blacktip shark C. limbatus along the coasts of the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, and South Africa
Authors: Almojil Dareen , Cliff Geremy , Spaet Julia L. Y. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe increase in demand for shark meat and fins has placed shark populations worldwide under high fishing pressure. In the Arabian region, the spot‐tail shark Carcharhinus sorrah and the Blacktip shark Carcharhinus limbatus are among the most exploited species. In this study, we investigated the population genetic structure of C. sorrah (n = 327) along the coasts of the Arabian Peninsula and of C. limbatus (n = 525) along the Arabian coasts, Pakistan, and KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa, using microsatellite markers (15 and 11 loci, respectively). Our findings support weak population structure in both species. Carcharhinus sorrah exhibited a fine structure, subdividing the area into three groups. The first group comprises all samples from Bahrain, the second from the UAE and Yemen, and the third from Oman. Similarly, C. limbatus exhibited population subdivision into three groups. The first group, comprising samples from Bahrain and Kuwait, was highly differentiated from the second and third groups, comprising samples from Oman, Pakistan, the UAE, and Yemen; and South Africa and the Saudi Arabian Red Sea, respectively. Population divisions were supported by pairwise FST values and discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC), but not by STRUCTURE. We suggest that the mostly low but significant pairwise FST values in our study are suggestive of fine population structure, which is possibly attributable to behavioral traits such as residency in C. sorrah and site fidelity and philopatry in C. limbatus. However, for all samples obtained from the northern parts of the Gulf (Bahrain and/or Kuwait) in both species, the higher but significant pairwise FST values could possibly be a result of founder effects during the Tethys Sea closure. Based on DAPC and FST results, we suggest each population to be treated as independent management unit, as conservation concerns emerge.
Safety Performance of 5 Ah Lithium Ion Battery Cells Containing the Flame Retardant Electrolyte Additive (Phenoxy) Pentafluorocyclotriphosphazene
Authors: Dagger Tim , Meier Vladislav , Hildebrand Stephan , Brüggemann Daniel , Winter Martin , Schappacher Falko M. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractInvestigations on the effect of flame retardant additives (FRs) on the abuse tolerance of large scale lithium ion battery (LIB) cells (5 Ah) are of high relevance in battery science and industry but rarely performed as they are cost and time consuming. In addition, even though FRs are frequently investigated, their positive effect on the safety properties of larger full LIB cells under abusive condition has not been proven yet. The promising FR (phenoxy) pentafluorocyclotriphosphazene (FPPN) is known to exhibit excellent flame retardant‐ and electrochemical properties at the same time. Therefore, FPPN is investigated towards abuse tolerance in 5 Ah LIB cells in this study. Calorimetric investigations show that a mass percentage of 5 wt % FPPN mixed to a standard electrolyte, significantly reduces the self‐heating rate of 5 Ah cells in the temperature range from 80 °C to 110 °C. While nail penetration and external short circuit experiments provide no significant difference between standard and FPPN‐containing cells, an increased overcharge tolerance and a favorable thermal stability at ≈120 °C in overcharge and oven experiments could be shown.
Thriving on chaos: Proactive detection of command and control domains in internet of things‐scale botnets using DRIFT
Authors: Spaulding Jeffrey , Park Jeman , Kim Joongheon , Nyang DaeHun , Mohaisen Aziz 
Published: August 2018

AbstractIn this paper, we introduce DRIFT, a system for detecting command and control (C2) domain names in Internet of Things–scale botnets. Using an intrinsic feature of malicious domain name queries prior to their registration (perhaps due to clock drift), we devise a difference‐based lightweight feature for malicious C2 domain name detection. Using NXDomain query and response of a popular malware, we establish the effectiveness of our detector with 99% accuracy and as early as more than 48 hours before they are registered. Our technique serves as a tool of detection where other techniques relying on entropy or domain generating algorithms reversing are impractical.
Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tumor Stage at Diagnosis in the 1945‐1965 Birth Cohort Reflects Poor Use of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Screening
Authors: Robinson Ann , Tavakoli Hesam , Liu Benny , Bhuket Taft , Wong Robert J. 
Published: August 2018

Individuals from the 1945‐1965 birth cohort account for the majority of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases in the United States. Understanding trends in HCC among this birth cohort is vital given the increasing burden of chronic liver disease among this group. We retrospectively evaluated trends and disparities in HCC tumor stage at the time of diagnosis among the 1945‐1965 birth cohort in the United States using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registry. Tumor stage at the time of HCC diagnosis was assessed using Milan criteria and SEER HCC staging systems. Among 38,045 patients with HCC within the 1945‐1965 birth cohort (81.6% male, 50.1% non‐Hispanic white, 16.2% African American, 12.6% Asian, 19.8% Hispanic), 66.2% had Medicare or commercial insurance, 27.2% had Medicaid, and 6.6% were uninsured. During the period 2004‐2006 to 2013‐2014, the number of patients with HCC from the 1945‐1965 birth cohort increased by 58.7% (5.9% increase per year). While the proportion of patients with HCC within the Milan criteria increased with time (36.4% in 2003‐2006 to 46.3% in 2013‐2014; P < 0.01), less than half were within the Milan criteria. On multivariate analysis within the Milan criteria, men were 12% less likely to have HCC compared to women, and African Americans were 27% less likely to have HCC compared to non‐Hispanic whites (odds ratio, 0.73; 95% confidence interval, 0.68‐0.78; P < 0.01). Conclusion: From 2004 to 2014, the burden of newly diagnosed HCC among the 1945‐1965 birth cohort increased by 5.9% per year. While improvements in earlier staged HCC at diagnosis were observed, the majority of patients with HCC among the 1945‐1965 birth cohort were beyond the Milan criteria at diagnosis; this may reflect poor utilization or suboptimal performance of HCC screening tests.
Relaxing leaf‐motion restrictions in dynamic multileaf collimator leaf sequencing
Authors: Mirzapour Seyed Ali , Salari Ehsan 
Published: August 2018

PurposeTraditionally, unidirectional leaf‐sweeping schemes have been employed to deliver IMRT plans using the dynamic multileaf collimator (DMLC) technique. The goal of this research is to investigate the potential impact of relaxing the leaf‐motion restrictions in DMLC IMRT on the beam‐modulation quality and the delivery efficiency.MethodsThis research relaxes the initial and final leaf‐position constraints as well as the unidirectional leaf‐motion restriction that have been traditionally imposed on DMLC leaf sequencing and develops exact and heuristic solution approaches to allow for an unconstrained and bidirectional leaf motion. The exact approach employs mixed‐integer programming (MIP) techniques and the proposed heuristic method uses stochastic search algorithms while utilizing the special structure of the problem. The trade‐off between beam‐modulation quality and delivery efficiency is quantified and compared to that of unidirectional leaf‐sweeping schemes.ResultsThe performance of the developed approaches is tested on liver and head‐and‐neck cancer cases. Results validate that unconstrained leaf trajectories can significantly improve the beam‐modulation quality at small beam‐on time values. However, this gain reduces as the available beam‐on time increases. Additionally, the proposed heuristic approach can achieve near‐optimal solutions with significantly smaller computational effort compared to the MIP solution approach.ConclusionsUnconstrained leaf trajectories have the potential to enhance the fluence‐modulation quality for cases in which the available beam‐on time is limited. This gain is primarily attributed to the relaxation of the initial and final leaf positions. The unidirectionality restriction alone does not appear to be a limiting factor.
Feasibility of Muscle Activity Assessment With Surface Electromyography During Bed Cycling Exercise In Intensive Care Unit Patients
Authors: Sommers Juultje , Van Den Boorn Michelle , Engelbert Raoul H.H. , Nollet Frans , Van Der Schaaf Marike , Horn Janneke 
Published: August 2018

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients often develop weakness. Rehabilitation is initiated early to prevent physical deterioration, but knowledge of optimal training schedules is lacking. A reliable method to assess muscle activity during exercise is needed. In this study we explored the feasibility of electrical activity measurement by surface electromyography (sEMG) during bed cycling in ICU patients. Methods: SEMG was performed in 9 ICU patients and 6 healthy controls. A standardized 1‐minute incremental resistance bedside cycle ergometer protocol was used. Results: The median cycle time was 5.3 minutes in patients and 12.0 minutes in controls. The maximum sEMG increased in both groups; the minimal sEMG activity remained the same in patients, whereas an increase in the control group was found. Discussion: sEMG is feasible and can detect muscle activity during bed cycling in ICU patients. It may be a useful monitoring tool. Repeated measurements could possibly provide information on the effects of training. Muscle Nerve 58: 688–693, 2018
The Middle Triassic procolophonid Kapes bentoni: computed tomography of the skull and skeleton
Authors: Zaher Marta , Coram Robert A. , Benton Michael J. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractProcolophonids were diverse small reptiles through the late Permian and Triassic. Relatively complete specimens of various taxa are known from the Early and Late Triassic, but the 10 or so Middle Triassic taxa, from South Africa, Russia, China and the UK, are mostly incomplete, being known only from skulls or partial and poorly preserved isolated elements. Because of their small size, it has often been difficult to establish details of anatomy using physical preparation methods, so application of scanning technology can massively improve knowledge. Here, we describe the first substantial portion of a skull and anterior postcranial skeleton of the genus Kapes, known from Russia and the UK. CT scanning and 3D digital restoration of the new specimen from the Anisian Otter Sandstone of Devon, UK, reveal anatomical details previously unknown for this taxon, most notably the enlarged quadratojugal processes. This is also one of the few mature procolophonid specimens with a preserved postcranium, and it gives valuable insight into ossification patterns. Fused sutures of the skull, fused scapulocoracoid, and heavily worn teeth show evidence of the common reptilian ossification pattern with a possible limitation in tooth replacement. There is sufficient anatomical information to include Kapes bentoni for the first time in a cladistic analysis, which shows that it is sister to the Russian Kapes majmesculae and part of a clade of Anisian taxa phylogenetically more basal than Procolophon. Inferences on the function of the quadratojugal spines and fossorial mode of life are also considered.
Improvement of dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction robustness by performing consecutive extractions: Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Brazilian sugar cane spirits by GC‐MS
Authors: Will Camila , Huelsmann Ricardo Dagnoni , da Cunha Heloize Cristina , Carasek Eduardo , Martendal Edmar 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThis paper describes the development of a multiple dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction method for the determination of fifteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in samples of Brazilian sugar cane spirit (known as cachaça) with separation and detection by GC‐MS. The results obtained with the multiple extraction approach were compared to those obtained with the conventional dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction method using the same sample. Sample dilution and solvent volume were optimized using the response surface methodology. The coefficient of determination (R2) for the multiple dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction method varied from 0.9939 to 0.9999. The limits of detection ranged from 0.06 to 1.5 μg L−1 and precision from 12 and 22%. The recovery values obtained with the proposed method ranged from 84 to 116%. The sum of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentrations in six samples ranged from 0.65 to 12.2 μg L−1. Multiple dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction was shown to be efficient in relation to compensating the matrix effects due to variations in the sample composition and the extraction parameters showed greater robustness compared to the conventional dispersive liquid‐liquid microextraction method, since it simulates an exhaustive extraction.
Development and validation of a GC–MS/MS method for priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons quantification in different types of water samples
Authors: Valera‐Tarifa Noelia María , López‐Martínez Juan Carlos , Martínez Vidal José Luis , Garrido Frenich Antonia 
Published: August 2018

AbstractA sensitive analytical method has been developed for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water, including priority pollutants according to the European Union, by gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (GC‐QqQ‐MS/MS). The sample treatment was based on a solid‐phase extraction method which was validated in four different types of water: seawater, drinking water, untreated inland water and wastewater according to CD 2002/657/EC and SANTE/11813/2017 guidelines. Obtained recovery, studied at three concentration levels (1.7, 5.6 and 25.0 ng/L), was in the range 77–108%. Precision values were ≤ 17% and 22% for intra‐day and inter‐day precision, respectively. Linearity was studied in the range 1.4‐100 ng/L, and the obtained determination coefficients (R2) were ≥ 0.9962. Limits of detection were in the range from 1.0 to 3.0 ng/L, whereas limits of quantification were established from 1.4 to 5.0 ng/L. The validated method was successfully accredited according to ISO/IEC 17025 international standard (including calculation of uncertainty) and applied to routine analysis of real water samples.
The political impacts of adaptation actions: Social contracts, a research agenda
Authors: Blackburn Sophie , Pelling Mark 
Published: August 2018

Managing climate and disaster risk is a deeply political act sitting at the interface of popular expectations, legal mandate, and political fiat. This article makes the case for an expanded research agenda on social contracts in climate and disasters scholarship as a mechanism to better reveal activity across this interface, identify the winners and losers of adaptation, and improve the equity outcomes of negotiated and imposed risk management settlements. Social contracts are defined as multiple and constructed (not singular or fixed), and three distinct yet intersecting forms of social contracts are identified: imagined, practiced, and legal‐institutional. The article argues that mapping the disjunctures, overlaps and transitions between these concurrent social contracts can help reveal gaps between responsibilities held de facto and de jure. This makes a timely contribution to understanding tensions between need, obligation and entitlement that underlie contestations over “who” is responsible for “what” in risk governance. It also helps reveal the dynamic boundaries of social acceptances at the centre of debates around fair adaptation governance. Such work can provide insight on how development relations, including but reaching beyond risk management and climate change adaptation, can be transformed progressively and fairly in a changing climate.This article is categorized under:

Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change > Institutions for Adaptation
Microstructure Cluster Analysis with Transfer Learning and Unsupervised Learning
Authors: Kitahara Andrew R. , Holm Elizabeth A. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractWe apply computer vision and machine learning methods to analyze two datasets of microstructural images. A transfer learning pipeline utilizes the fully connected layer of a pre-trained convolutional neural network as the image representation. An unsupervised learning method uses the image representations to discover visually distinct clusters of images within two datasets. A minimally supervised clustering approach classifies micrographs into visually similar groups. This approach successfully classifies images both in a dataset of surface defects in steel, where the image classes are visually distinct and in a dataset of fracture surfaces that humans have difficulty classifying. We find that the unsupervised, transfer learning method gives results comparable to fully supervised, custom-built approaches.