bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Laminarin protects against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative damage in MRC-5 cells possibly via regulating NRF2
Authors: Liu Xue , Liu Huaman , Zhai Yi , Li Yan , Zhu Xue , Zhang Wei 
Published: July 2017

Oxidative damage is a major cause of lung diseases, including pulmonary fibrosis. Laminarin is a kind of polysaccharide extracted from brown algae and plays vital roles in various biological processes. However, the functions and mechanisms of laminarin in pulmonary oxidative damage are poorly understood. This study aimed at investigating the protective effect of laminarin against pulmonary oxidative damage and underlying mechanisms. Human lung fibroblasts MRC-5 cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide to induce oxidative damage. Laminarin treatment was performed before or after hydrogen peroxide treatment, and then major indexes of oxidative damage, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT), were quantified by biochemical assays. The expression of oxidation-related factor, nuclear factor erythroid 2 like 2 (NRF2) was analyzed by qPCR, Western blot and immunofluorescence assay. NRF2 knockdown and overexpression were performed by cell transfection to reveal possible mechanisms. Results showed that laminarin treatment of 0.020 mg/mL for 24 h, especially the pre-treatment, could significantly relieve changes in SOD, MDA, GSH and CAT that were altered by hydrogen peroxide, and promote NRF2 mRNA (P < 0.001). NRF2 protein was also elevated by laminarin, and nuclear translocation was observed. Factors in NRF2 signaling pathways, including KEAP1, NQO1, GCLC and HO1, were all regulated by laminarin. Roles of NRF2 were tested, suggesting that NRF2 regulated the concentration of SOD, MDA, GSH and CAT, suppressed KEAP1, and promoted NQO1, GCLC and HO1. These findings suggested the protective role of laminarin against pulmonary oxidative damage, which might involve the regulation of NRF2 signaling pathways. This study provided information for the clinical application of laminarin to pulmonary diseases like pulmonary fibrosis.
The competition between coastal trace metal fluxes and oceanic mixing from the 10Be/9Be ratio: Implications for sedimentary records
Authors: Wittmann H. , von Blanckenburg F. , Mohtadi M. , Christl M. , Bernhardt A. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractAt an ocean margin site 37°S offshore Chile, we use the meteoric cosmogenic 10Be/9Be ratio to trace changes in terrestrial particulate composition due to exchange with seawater. We analyzed the marine authigenic phase in surface sediments along a coast‐perpendicular transect and compared to samples from their riverine source. We find evidence for growth of authigenic rims through coprecipitation, not via reversible adsorption, that incorporate an open ocean 10Be/9Be signature from a deep water source only 30 km from the coast, overprinting terrestrial 10Be/9Be signatures. Together with increasing 10Be/9Be ratios, particulate‐bound Fe concentrations increase, which we attribute to release of Fe‐rich pore waters during boundary exchange in the sediment. The implications for the use of 10Be/9Be in sedimentary records for paleodenudation flux reconstructions are the following: in coast‐proximal sites the authigenic record will likely preserve local riverine ratios unaffected by exchange with seawater, whereas sites beneath well‐mixed seawater will preserve global flux signatures.
Toluene, ethylbenzene and phenol – Determination of o‐cresol, m‐cresol, 2‐ethylphenol, 4‐ethylphenol and phenol in urine using gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry [Biomonitoring Methods, 2011]
Authors: Schettgen T. , Alt A. , Dewes P. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThe article contains sections titled:General principlesEquipment, chemicals and solutionsEquipmentChemicalsSolutionsInternal standardCalibration standardsSpecimen collection and sample preparationSample preparation for the determination of cresols and ethylphenolsSample preparation for the determination of phenolOperational parametersGas chromatographyMass spectrometryAnalytical determinationCalibrationCalculation of the analytical resultsStandardisation and quality controlEvaluation of the methodPrecisionAccuracyAbsolute recoveryDetection limits and quantitation limitsSources of errorDiscussion of the method
Self‐Assembled Luminescent Quantum Dots To Generate Full‐Color and White Circularly Polarized Light
Authors: Huo Shengwei , Duan Pengfei , Jiao Tifeng , Peng Qiuming , Liu Minghua 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThe design and fabrication of quantum dots (QDs) with circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) has been a great challenge in developing chiroptical materials. We herein propose an alternative to the use of chiral capping reagents on QDs for the fabrication of CPL‐active QDs that is based on the supramolecular self‐assembly of achiral QDs with chiral gelators. Full‐color‐tunable CPL‐active QDs were obtained by simple mixing or gelation of a chiral gelator and achiral 3‐mercaptopropionic acid capped QDs. In addition, the handedness of the CPL can be controlled by the supramolecular chirality of the gels. Moreover, QDs with circularly polarized white light emission were fabricated for the first time by tuning the blending ratio of colorful QDs in the gel. The chirality transfer in the co‐assembly of the achiral QDs with the gelator and the spacer effect of the capping reagents on the QD surface are also discussed. This work provides new insight into the design of functional chiroptical materials.
Multiple Metal–Metal Bond or No Bond? The Electronic Structure of V2O2
Authors: Hübner Olaf , Himmel Hans‐Jörg 
Published: July 2017

AbstractDetailed knowledge of the electronic structure of vanadium oxide clusters provides the basis for understanding and tuning their significant catalytic properties. However, already for the simple four‐atom V2O2 molecule, there are contradictory reports in the literature regarding the electronic ground state and a possible vanadium–vanadium bond. We herein show through a combination of experimental (matrix isolation) studies and theoretical results that there is a multiple vanadium–vanadium bond in this benchmark vanadium oxide molecule.
Model Free Adaptive Control for a Class of Nonlinear Systems Using Quantized Information
Authors: Bu Xuhui , Qiao Yingxu , Hou Zhongsheng , Yang Junqi 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThis paper considers the stability of model free adaptive control systems with quantized information. Two quantized model free adaptive control (QMFAC) algorithms are proposed by using different signal quantization schemes, and here the logarithmic quantizer is introduced to decode these signals with a number of quantization levels. By using the sector bound method, the stability conditions of proposed QMFAC algorithms can be given and the effect of quantization error for such systems can also be discussed. It is shown that the tracking error under the QMFAC algorithm with system output quantized signal is proved to converge to a bound, and the bound depending on quantization density and desired trajectory. Thus, the tracking error under the QMFAC algorithm with tracking error quantized signal converges to zero. Two illustrative examples are given to validate the theoretical results.
Thyroid Medication Use and Birth Defects in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study
Authors: Howley Meredith M. , Fisher Sarah C. , Van Zutphen Alissa R. , Waller Dorothy K. , Carmichael Suzan L. , Browne Marilyn L. ,   The National Birth Defects Prevention Study
Published: July 2017

BackgroundThyroid disorders are common among reproductive‐aged women, with hypothyroidism affecting 2 to 3% of pregnancies, and hyperthyroidism affecting an additional 0.1 to 1%. We examined associations between thyroid medications and individual birth defects using data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS).MethodsThe NBDPS is a multisite, population‐based, case–control study that included pregnancies with estimated delivery dates from 1997 to 2011. We analyzed self‐reported thyroid medication use from mothers of 31,409 birth defect cases and 11,536 unaffected controls. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using logistic regression for birth defects with five or more exposed cases, controlling for maternal age, race/ethnicity, and study center. Crude ORs and exact 95% CIs were estimated for defects with 3 to 4 exposed cases.ResultsThyroid hormone was used by 738 (2.3%) case and 237 (2.1%) control mothers, and was associated with anencephaly (OR = 1.68; 95% CI, 1.03–2.73), holoprosencephaly (OR = 2.48; 95% CI, 1.13–5.44), hydrocephaly (1.77; 95% CI, 1.07–2.95) and small intestinal atresia (OR = 1.81; 95% CI, 1.04–3.15). Anti‐thyroid medication was used by 34 (0.1%) case and 10 (<0.1%) control mothers, and was associated with aortic valve stenosis (OR = 6.91; 95% CI, 1.21–27.0).ConclusionWhile new associations were identified, our findings are relatively consistent with previous NBDPS analyses. Our findings suggest thyroid medication use is not associated with most birth defects studied in the NBDPS, but may be associated with some specific birth defects. These results should not be interpreted to suggest that medications used to treat thyroid disease are teratogens, as the observed associations may reflect effects of the underlying thyroid disease. Birth Defects Research 109:1471–1481, 2017.© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Tailoring the Sodium Storage Performance of Carbon Nanowires by Microstructure Design and Surface Modification with N, O and S Heteroatoms
Authors: Qiao Yun , Ma Mengyue , Liu Yang , Han Ruimin , Cheng Xiaoguang , Li Qingling , Li Xiangnan , Dong Hongyu , Yin Yanhong , Yang Shuting 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThe electronic environment and physicochemical property of carbon materials can be easily tailored and modulated by heteroatom doping. Herein, we demonstrate that net‐like N, O, S triple‐doped microporous carbon nanowires (NOS‐MCNs) as an anode can be designed to improve the electrochemical performance of sodium ion batteries. Ammonium persulfate as oxidant can also provide a nitrogen and sulfur source for S‐containing PPy. The N, O and S atoms are introduced into the carbon skeleton with activation and carbonization processes to modify the surface properties. As an anode, the material exhibits a high specific capacity and a long lifespan (≈301 mA h g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 after 1000 cycles) as well as an excellent rate capability (158 mA h g−1 at an extremely high current density of 10 A g−1). This work offers a facile strategy to synthesize triple‐doped porous carbon materials for sodium ion batteries and other energy‐storage fields.
What is a “unimodal” cell population? Using statistical tests as criteria for unimodality in automated gating and quality control
Authors: Johnsson Kerstin , Linderoth Magnus , Fontes Magnus 
Published: July 2017

AbstractMany automated gating algorithms for flow cytometry data are based on the concept of unimodal cell populations. However, in this article, we show that criteria previously used to make decisions on unimodality cannot adequately distinguish unimodal from bimodal densities. We show that dip and bandwidth tests for unimodality, taken from the statistics literature, can do this with consistent and low error rates. These tests also have the possibility to adjust the significance level to handle the trade‐off between failing to detect a second mode and seeing a second mode when there is none. The differences between the dip and bandwidth tests are elucidated using real data from the FlowCAP I challenge, also guidelines for flow cytometry data preprocessing are given. © 2017 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Sharing is caring? Measurement error and the issues arising from combining 3D morphometric datasets
Authors: Fruciano Carmelo , Celik Mélina A. , Butler Kaylene , Dooley Tom , Weisbecker Vera , Phillips Matthew J. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractGeometric morphometrics is routinely used in ecology and evolution and morphometric datasets are increasingly shared among researchers, allowing for more comprehensive studies and higher statistical power (as a consequence of increased sample size). However, sharing of morphometric data opens up the question of how much nonbiologically relevant variation (i.e., measurement error) is introduced in the resulting datasets and how this variation affects analyses. We perform a set of analyses based on an empirical 3D geometric morphometric dataset. In particular, we quantify the amount of error associated with combining data from multiple devices and digitized by multiple operators and test for the presence of bias. We also extend these analyses to a dataset obtained with a recently developed automated method, which does not require human‐digitized landmarks. Further, we analyze how measurement error affects estimates of phylogenetic signal and how its effect compares with the effect of phylogenetic uncertainty. We show that measurement error can be substantial when combining surface models produced by different devices and even more among landmarks digitized by different operators. We also document the presence of small, but significant, amounts of nonrandom error (i.e., bias). Measurement error is heavily reduced by excluding landmarks that are difficult to digitize. The automated method we tested had low levels of error, if used in combination with a procedure for dimensionality reduction. Estimates of phylogenetic signal can be more affected by measurement error than by phylogenetic uncertainty. Our results generally highlight the importance of landmark choice and the usefulness of estimating measurement error. Further, measurement error may limit comparisons of estimates of phylogenetic signal across studies if these have been performed using different devices or by different operators. Finally, we also show how widely held assumptions do not always hold true, particularly that measurement error affects inference more at a shallower phylogenetic scale and that automated methods perform worse than human digitization.
Making the most of survey data: Incorporating age uncertainty when fitting growth parameters
Authors: Spence Michael A. , Turtle Alan J. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractIndividual growth is an important parameter and is linked to a number of other biological processes. It is commonly modeled using the von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF), which is regularly fitted to age data where the ages of the animals are not known exactly but are binned into yearly age groups, such as fish survey data. Current methods of fitting the VBGF to these data treat all the binned ages as the actual ages. We present a new VBGF model that combines data from multiple surveys and allows the actual age of an animal to be inferred. By fitting to survey data for Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), we compare our model with two other ways of combining data from multiple surveys but where the ages are as reported in the survey data. We use the fitted parameters as inputs into a yield‐per‐recruit model to see what would happen to advice given to management. We found that each of the ways of combining the data leads to different parameter estimates for the VBGF and advice for policymakers. Our model fitted to the data better than either of the other models and also reduced the uncertainty in the parameter estimates and models used to inform management. Our model is a robust way of fitting the VBGF and can be used to combine data from multiple sources. The model is general enough to fit other growth curves for any taxon when the age of individuals is binned into groups.
Marine dock pilings foster diverse, native cryptobenthic fish assemblages across bioregions
Authors: Brandl Simon J. , Casey Jordan M. , Knowlton Nancy , Duffy James Emmett 
Published: July 2017

AbstractAnthropogenic habitats are increasingly prevalent in coastal marine environments. Previous research on sessile epifauna suggests that artificial habitats act as a refuge for nonindigenous species, which results in highly homogenous communities across locations. However, vertebrate assemblages that live in association with artificial habitats are poorly understood. Here, we quantify the biodiversity of small, cryptic (henceforth “cryptobenthic”) fishes from marine dock pilings across six locations over 35° of latitude from Maine to Panama. We also compare assemblages from dock pilings to natural habitats in the two southernmost locations (Panama and Belize). Our results suggest that the biodiversity patterns of cryptobenthic fishes from dock pilings follow a Latitudinal Diversity Gradient (LDG), with average local and regional diversity declining sharply with increasing latitude. Furthermore, a strong correlation between community composition and spatial distance suggests distinct regional assemblages of cryptobenthic fishes. Cryptobenthic fish assemblages from dock pilings in Belize and Panama were less diverse and had lower densities than nearby reef habitats. However, dock pilings harbored almost exclusively native species, including two species of conservation concern absent from nearby natural habitats. Our results suggest that, in contrast to sessile epifaunal assemblages on artificial substrates, artificial marine habitats can harbor diverse, regionally characteristic assemblages of vertebrates that follow macroecological patterns that are well documented for natural habitats. We therefore posit that, although dock pilings cannot function as a replacement for natural habitats, dock pilings may provide cost‐effective means to preserve native vertebrate biodiversity, and provide a habitat that can be relatively easily monitored to track the status and trends of fish biodiversity in highly urbanized coastal marine environments.
Socio‐economic, scientific, and political benefits of mycotourism
Authors: Büntgen Ulf , Latorre Joaquin , Egli Simon , Martínez‐Peña Fernando 
Published: July 2017

AbstractRural areas particularly suffer from economic crises where they overlap with long‐term negative effects of climate change. Here, we introduce the concept of mycotourism by means of mushroom‐related industries in central‐northeastern Spain. We describe how this novel branch of eco‐tourism can help stabilize social and political structures. Likewise, we illuminate the potential of mycotourism to compensate for some losses related to widespread unemployment and summer drought, as well as to generate unexpectedly fruitful research opportunities. Focussing on Spain's emerging black truffle industry, we recommend a stronger involvement of natural sciences, conservation services, and management strategies in commercial endeavors. We emphasize the relevance of direct and indirect climatic impacts on ecological and societal systems as well as on economic markets. Moreover, we stress the importance of a vital science–policy interface at various scales, with immediate opportunities for sustainable landscape protection and the preservation of biological diversity.
Nitrogen‐induced terrestrial eutrophication: cascading effects and impacts on ecosystem services
Authors: Clark Christopher M. , Bell Michael D. , Boyd James W. , Compton Jana E. , Davidson Eric A. , Davis Christine , Fenn Mark E. , Geiser Linda , Jones Laurence , Blett Tamara F. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractHuman activity has significantly increased the deposition of nitrogen (N) on terrestrial ecosystems over pre‐industrial levels leading to a multitude of effects including losses of biodiversity, changes in ecosystem functioning, and impacts on human well‐being. It is challenging to explicitly link the level of deposition on an ecosystem to the cascade of ecological effects triggered and ecosystem services affected, because of the multitude of possible pathways in the N cascade. To address this challenge, we report on the activities of an expert workshop to synthesize information on N‐induced terrestrial eutrophication from the published literature and to link critical load exceedances with human beneficiaries by using the STressor–Ecological Production function–final ecosystem Services Framework and the Final Ecosystem Goods and Services Classification System (FEGS‐CS). We found 21 N critical loads were triggered by N deposition (ranging from 2 to 39 kg N·ha−1·yr−1), which cascaded to distinct beneficiary types through 582 individual pathways in the five ecoregions examined (Eastern Temperate Forests, Marine West Coast Forests, Northwestern Forested Mountains, North American Deserts, Mediterranean California). These exceedances ultimately affected 66 FEGS across a range of final ecosystem service categories (21 categories, e.g., changes in timber production, fire regimes, and native plant and animal communities) and 198 regional human beneficiaries of different types. Several different biological indicators were triggered in different ecosystems, including grasses and/or forbs (33% of all pathways), mycorrhizal communities (22%), tree species (21%), and lichen biodiversity (11%). Ecoregions with higher deposition rates for longer periods tended to have more numerous and varied ecological impacts (e.g., Eastern Temperate Forests, eight biological indicators) as opposed to other ecoregions (e.g., North American Deserts and Marine West Coast Forests each with one biological indicator). Nonetheless, although ecoregions differed by ecological effects from terrestrial eutrophication, the number of FEGS and beneficiaries impacted was similar across ecoregions. We found that terrestrial eutrophication affected all ecosystems examined, demonstrating the widespread nature of terrestrial eutrophication nationally. These results highlight which people and ecosystems are most affected according to present knowledge, and identify key uncertainties and knowledge gaps to be filled by future research.
Detecting population–environmental interactions with mismatched time series data
Authors: Ferguson Jake M. , Reichert Brian E. , Fletcher Robert J. , Jager Henriëtte I. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractTime series analysis is an essential method for decomposing the influences of density and exogenous factors such as weather and climate on population regulation. However, there has been little work focused on understanding how well commonly collected data can reconstruct the effects of environmental factors on population dynamics. We show that, analogous to similar scale issues in spatial data analysis, coarsely sampled temporal data can fail to detect covariate effects when interactions occur on timescales that are fast relative to the survey period. We propose a method for modeling mismatched time series data that couples high‐resolution environmental data to low‐resolution abundance data. We illustrate our approach with simulations and by applying it to Florida's southern Snail kite population. Our simulation results show that our method can reliably detect linear environmental effects and that detecting nonlinear effects requires high‐resolution covariate data even when the population turnover rate is slow. In the Snail kite analysis, our approach performed among the best in a suite of previously used environmental covariates explaining Snail kite dynamics and was able to detect a potential phenological shift in the environmental dependence of Snail kites. Our work provides a statistical framework for reliably detecting population–environment interactions from coarsely surveyed time series. An important implication of this work is that the low predictability of animal population growth by weather variables found in previous studies may be due, in part, to how these data are utilized as covariates.