bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The potential use of cuticular hydrocarbons and multivariate analysis to age empty puparial cases of Calliphora vicina and Lucilia sericata
Authors: Moore Hannah E. , Pechal Jennifer L. , Benbow M. Eric , Drijfhout Falko P. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractCuticular hydrocarbons (CHC) have been successfully used in the field of forensic entomology for identifying and ageing forensically important blowfly species, primarily in the larval stages. However in older scenes where all other entomological evidence is no longer present, Calliphoridae puparial cases can often be all that remains and therefore being able to establish the age could give an indication of the PMI. This paper examined the CHCs present in the lipid wax layer of insects, to determine the age of the cases over a period of nine months. The two forensically important species examined were Calliphora vicina and Lucilia sericata. The hydrocarbons were chemically extracted and analysed using Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry. Statistical analysis was then applied in the form of non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis (NMDS), permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) and random forest models. This study was successful in determining age differences within the empty cases, which to date, has not been establish by any other technique.
What the skull and scapular morphology of the dugong (Dugong dugon) can tell us: sex, habitat and body length?
Authors: Nganvongpanit Korakot , Buddhachat Kittisak , Kaewmong Patcharaporn , Cherdsukjai Phaothep , Kittiwatanawong Kongkiat 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThe dugong (Dugong dugon, Müller) is an endangered marine mammal species. We examined the relationship between sex, habitat and body length based on the skull and scapular morphology and morphometrics of 81 dugong samples in Thailand. A total of 58 parameters from the skull and scapula (25 from the cranium, 23 from the mandible and 10 from the scapula) as well as tusks were used in this study. Data were analyzed by univariate analysis, followed by discriminant analysis and multivariate linear regression. Here we show, 100% and 98.5% accuracy rates for sexing using large tusks and the skull, respectively. Scapular morphology using the caudal border tubercle and coracoid process showed 91.30% and 96.15% accuracy rates for identifying males and females. Skull morphometrics could categorize dugong habitat, i.e. living in the Andaman Sea or Gulf of Thailand, with 100% accuracy. Moreover, our model could be used to estimate body length with coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.985. The results of our study showed that skull morphology and morphometric measurements could be used as a tool for sex identification, location identification and estimation of body length. But scapular morphology is the best tool for sex identification in dugongs.
Floccular fossa size is not a reliable proxy of ecology and behaviour in vertebrates
Authors: Ferreira-Cardoso S. , Araújo R. , Martins N. E. , Martins G. G. , Walsh S. , Martins R. M. S. , Kardjilov N. , Manke I. , Hilger A. , Castanhinha R. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThe cerebellar floccular and parafloccular lobes are housed in fossae of the periotic region of the skull of different vertebrates. Experimental evidence indicates that the lobes integrate visual and vestibular information and control the vestibulo-ocular reflex, vestibulo-collic reflex, smooth pursuit and gaze holding. Multiple paleoneuroanatomy studies have deduced the behaviour of fossil vertebrates by measuring the floccular fossae (FF). These studies assumed that there are correlations between FF volume and behaviour. However, these assumptions have not been fully tested. Here, we used micro-CT scans of extant mammals (47 species) and birds (59 species) to test six possible morphological-functional associations between FF volume and ecological/behavioural traits of extant animals. Behaviour and ecology do not explain FF volume variability in four out of six variables tested. Two variables with significant results require further empirical testing. Cerebellum plasticity may explain the lack of statistical evidence for the hypotheses tested. Therefore, variation in FF volume seems to be better explained by a combination of factors such as anatomical and phylogenetic evolutionary constraints, and further empirical testing is required.
Tree-ring widths are good proxies of annual variation in forest productivity in temperate forests
Authors: Xu Kai , Wang Xiangping , Liang Penghong , An Hailong , Sun Han , Han Wei , Li Qiaoyan 
Published: May 2017

AbstractTree rings have long been used to calibrate the net primary production (NPP) time-series predicted by process-based models, based on an implicit assumption that ring-width indices (RWI) can well reflect temporal NPP change. However, this assumption has seldom been tested systematically. In this study, 36 plots were set in three forest types from four sites along a latitudinal gradient in northeast China. For each plot, we constructed chronologies and stand NPP of the past 20 years to examine: is RWI a good proxy of inter-annual variation of forest NPP for different forest types under different climate? If it is, why? Our results indicate that RWI was closely related to stand NPP in most cases, and could be used as a good proxy of NPP in temperate forests. Standard and arstan chronologies were better related to NPP series than residual chronology. Stand NPP time-series were mainly determined by large trees, and the correlation between RWI and NPP was also higher for larger trees. We suggest that large trees and dominant species of canopy layer should be sampled for chronology construction. Large trees are major contributors of forest biomass and productivity, and should have priority in forest conservation in a rapid-warming world.
Hyponatremia upon presentation to the emergency department – the need for urgent neuroimaging studies
Authors: Bokemeyer Arne , Dziewas Rainer , Wiendl Heinz , Schwindt Wolfram , Bicsán Paul , Kümpers Philipp , Pavenstädt Hermann 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThis study aims to evaluate the necessity of urgent neuroimaging for emergency admissions exhibiting symptomatology of profound hyponatremia. We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of all patients admitted to the emergency room of the University Hospital Münster from 2010 to 2014 with a serum sodium value < 125 mmol/L. From 52918 emergency admissions, 261 patients with profound hyponatremia were identified, of whom 140 (54%) had neurological symptoms. Unspecific weakness and confusion were the most prevalent of these symptoms (59%). Focal neurological signs [FNS] were present in 31% of cases and neuroimaging was performed in 68% (95/140) of symptomatic patients. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified FNS, seizures, altered consciousness and age as independent predictors for conducting neuroimaging (all p < 0.05). Significant pathological findings consistent with acute symptomatology were evident in 17 cases, all of whom had FNS. Recursive partitioning analyses confirmed FNS as the best predictor of neuroimaging pathology (p < 0.001). Absence of FNS had a negative predictive value of 100% [95% confidence interval: 93–100%] for excluding neuroimaging pathology. In conclusion, emergency patients with profound hyponatremia frequently show nonspecific-neurological symptoms and may undergo neuroimaging unnecessarily. The lack of FNS may serve as a valuable criterion for withholding neuroimaging until hyponatremia has been corrected.
Nearly Perfect Durable Superhydrophobic Surfaces Fabricated by a Simple One-Step Plasma Treatment
Authors: Ryu Jeongeun , Kim Kiwoong , Park JooYoung , Hwang Bae Geun , Ko YoungChul , Kim HyunJoo , Han JeongSu , Seo EungRyeol , Park YongJong , Lee Sang Joon 
Published: May 2017

AbstractFabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces is an area of great interest because it can be applicable to various engineering fields. A simple, safe and inexpensive fabrication process is required to fabricate applicable superhydrophobic surfaces. In this study, we developed a facile fabrication method of nearly perfect superhydrophobic surfaces through plasma treatment with argon and oxygen gases. A polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheet was selected as a substrate material. We optimized the fabrication parameters to produce superhydrophobic surfaces of superior performance using the Taguchi method. The contact angle of the pristine PTFE surface is approximately 111.0° ± 2.4°, with a sliding angle of 12.3° ± 6.4°. After the plasma treatment, nano-sized spherical tips, which looked like crown-structures, were created. This PTFE sheet exhibits the maximum contact angle of 178.9°, with a sliding angle less than 1°. As a result, this superhydrophobic surface requires a small external force to detach water droplets dripped on the surface. The contact angle of the fabricated superhydrophobic surface is almost retained, even after performing an air-aging test for 80 days and a droplet impacting test for 6 h. This fabrication method can provide superb superhydrophobic surface using simple one-step plasma etching.
Lung Cancer Screening Based on Type-different Sensor Arrays
Authors: Li Wang , Liu Hongying , Xie Dandan , He Zichun , Pi Xititan 
Published: May 2017

AbstractIn recent years, electronic nose (e-nose) systems have become a focus method for diagnosing pulmonary diseases such as lung cancer. However, principles and patterns of sensor responses in traditional e-nose systems are relatively homogeneous. Less study has been focused on type-different sensor arrays. In this paper, we designed a miniature e-nose system using 14 gas sensors of four types and its subsequent analysis of 52 breath samples. To investigate the performance of this system in identifying and distinguishing lung cancer from other respiratory diseases and healthy controls, five feature extraction algorithms and two classifiers were adopted. Lastly, the influence of type-different sensors on the identification ability of e-nose systems was analyzed. Results indicate that when using the LDA fuzzy 5-NN classification method, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of discriminating lung cancer patients from healthy controls with e-nose systems are 91.58%, 91.72% and 91.59%, respectively. Our findings also suggest that type-different sensors could significantly increase the diagnostic accuracy of e-nose systems. These results showed e-nose system proposed in this study was potentially practicable in lung cancer screening with a favorable performance. In addition, it is important for type-different sensors to be considered when developing e-nose systems.
Phosphoproteome Analysis Reveals Phosphorylation Underpinnings in the Brains of Nurse and Forager Honeybees (Apis mellifera)
Authors: Bezabih Gebreamlak , Cheng Han , Han Bin , Feng Mao , Xue Yu , Hu Han , Li Jianke 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThe honeybee brain is a central organ in regulating wide ranges of honeybee biology, including life transition from nurse to forager bees. Knowledge is still lacking on how protein phosphorylation governs the neural activity to drive the age-specific labor division. The cerebral phosphoproteome of nurse and forager honeybees was characterized using Ti4+-IMAC phosphopeptide enrichment mass-spectrometry-based proteomics and protein kinases (PKs) were predicted. There were 3,077 phosphosites residing on 3,234 phosphopeptides from 1004 phosphoproteins in the nurse bees. For foragers the numbers were 3,056, 3,110, and 958, respectively. Notably, among the total 231 PKs in honeybee proteome, 179 novel PKs were predicted in the honeybee brain, of which 88 were experimentally identified. Proteins involved in wide scenarios of pathways were phosphorylated depending on age: glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, AGE/RAGE and phosphorylation in nurse bees and metal ion transport, ATP metabolic process and phototransduction in forager bees. These observations suggest that phosphorylation is vital to the tuning of protein activity to regulate cerebral function according to the biological duties as nursing and foraging bees. The data provides valuable information on phosphorylation signaling in the honeybee brain and potentially useful resource to understand the signaling mechanism in honeybee neurobiology and in other social insects as well.
Transgenic Bt rice lines producing Cry1Ac, Cry2Aa or Cry1Ca have no detrimental effects on Brown Planthopper and Pond Wolf Spider
Authors: Niu Lin , Mannakkara Amani , Qiu Lin , Wang Xiaoping , Hua Hongxia , Lei Chaoliang , Jurat-Fuentes Juan Luis , Ma Weihua 
Published: May 2017

AbstractTransgenic rice expressing cry genes from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt rice) is highly resistant to lepidopteran pests. The brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens) is the main non-target sap-sucking insect pest of Bt transgenic rice. The pond wolf spider (PWS, Pardosa pseudoannulata) is one of the most dominant predators of BPH in rice fields. Consequently, the safety evaluation of Bt rice on BPH and PWS should be conducted before commercialization. In the current study, two experiments were performed to assess the potential ecological effects of Bt rice on BPH and PWS: (1) a tritrophic experiment to evaluate the transmission of Cry1Ac, Cry2Aa and Cry1Ca protein in the food chain; and (2) binding assays of Cry1Ac, Cry2Aa and Cry1Ca to midgut brush border membrane proteins from BPH and PWS. Trace amounts of the three Cry proteins were detected in BPH feeding on Bt rice cultivars, but only Cry1Ac and Cry2Aa proteins could be transferred to PWS through feeding on BPH. In vitro binding of biotinylated Cry proteins and competition assays in midgut protein vesicles showed weak binding, and ligand blot analysis confirmed the binding specificity. Thus, we inferred that the tested Bt rice varieties have negligible effects on BPH and PWS.
Tolerability of Opioid Analgesia for Chronic Pain: A Network Meta-Analysis
Authors: Meng Zengdong , Yu Jing , Acuff Michael , Luo Chong , Wang Sanrong , Yu Lehua , Huang Rongzhong 
Published: May 2017

AbstractAim of this study was to study the tolerability of opioid analgesia by performing a network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) which investigated effectiveness of opioids for the management of chronic pain. Research articles reporting outcomes of RCT/s comparing 2 or more opioid analgesics for the management of chronic pain were obtained by database search. Bayesian NMAs were performed to combine direct comparisons between treatments with that of indirect simulated evidence. Study endpoints were: incidence of adverse events, incidence of constipation, trial withdrawal rate, and patient satisfaction with treatment. Outcomes were also compared with conventional meta-analyses. Thirty-two studies investigating 10 opioid drugs fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Tapentadol treatment was top-ranking owing to lower incidence of overall adverse events, constipation, and least trial withdrawal rate. Tapentadol was followed by oxycodone-naloxone combination in providing better tolerability and less trial withdrawal rate. Patient satisfaction was found to be higher with oxycodone-naloxone followed by fentanyl and tapentadol. These results were in agreement with those achieved with conventional meta-analyses. Tapentadol and oxycodone-naloxone are found to exhibit better tolerability characteristics in comparison with other opioid drugs for the management of chronic pain and are associated with low trial withdrawal rate and better patient satisfaction.
Volunteer Participation in the Health eHeart Study: A Comparison with the US Population
Authors: Guo Xiaofan , Vittinghoff Eric , Olgin Jeffrey E. , Marcus Gregory M. , Pletcher Mark J. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractDirect volunteer “eCohort” recruitment can be an efficient way of recruiting large numbers of participants, but there is potential for volunteer bias. We compared self-selected participants in the Health eHeart Study to participants in the National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013–14, a cross-sectional survey of the US population. Compared with the US population (represented by 5,769 NHANES participants), the 12,280 Health eHeart participants with complete survey data were more likely to be female (adjusted odds ratio (ORadj) = 3.1; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.9–3.5); less likely to be Black, Hispanic, or Asian versus White/non-Hispanic (ORadj’s = 0.4–0.6, p < 0.01); more likely to be college-educated (ORadj = 15.8 (13–19) versus ≤high school); more likely to have cardiovascular diseases and risk factors (ORadj’s = 1.1–2.8, p < 0.05) except diabetes (ORadj = 0.8 (0.7–0.9); more likely to be in excellent general health (ORadj = 0.6 (0.5–0.8) for “Good” versus “Excellent”); and less likely to be current smokers (ORadj = 0.3 (0.3–0.4)). While most self-selection patterns held for Health eHeart users of Bluetooth blood pressure cuff technology, there were some striking differences; for example, the gender ratio was reversed (ORadj = 0.6 (0.4–0.7) for female gender). Volunteer participation in this cardiovascular health-focused eCohort was not uniform among US adults nor for different components of the study.
A generalized population dynamics model for reproductive interference with absolute density dependence
Authors: Kyogoku Daisuke , Sota Teiji 
Published: May 2017

AbstractInterspecific mating interactions, or reproductive interference, can affect population dynamics, species distribution and abundance. Previous population dynamics models have assumed that the impact of frequency-dependent reproductive interference depends on the relative abundances of species. However, this assumption could be an oversimplification inappropriate for making quantitative predictions. Therefore, a more general model to forecast population dynamics in the presence of reproductive interference is required. Here we developed a population dynamics model to describe the absolute density dependence of reproductive interference, which appears likely when encounter rate between individuals is important. Our model (i) can produce diverse shapes of isoclines depending on parameter values and (ii) predicts weaker reproductive interference when absolute density is low. These novel characteristics can create conditions where coexistence is stable and independent from the initial conditions. We assessed the utility of our model in an empirical study using an experimental pair of seed beetle species, Callosobruchus maculatus and Callosobruchus chinensis. Reproductive interference became stronger with increasing total beetle density even when the frequencies of the two species were kept constant. Our model described the effects of absolute density and showed a better fit to the empirical data than the existing model overall.
A Rapid Capillary-Pressure Driven Micro-Channel to Demonstrate Newtonian Fluid Behavior of Zebrafish Blood at High Shear Rates
Authors: Lee Juhyun , Chou Tzu-Chieh , Kang Dongyang , Kang Hanul , Chen Junjie , Baek Kyung In , Wang Wei , Ding Yichen , Carlo Dino Di , Tai Yu-Chong , Hsiai Tzung K. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractBlood viscosity provides the rheological basis to elucidate shear stress underlying developmental cardiac mechanics and physiology. Zebrafish is a high throughput model for developmental biology, forward-genetics, and drug discovery. The micro-scale posed an experimental challenge to measure blood viscosity. To address this challenge, a microfluidic viscometer driven by surface tension was developed to reduce the sample volume required (3μL) for rapid (<2 min) and continuous viscosity measurement. By fitting the power-law fluid model to the travel distance of blood through the micro-channel as a function of time and channel configuration, the experimentally acquired blood viscosity was compared with a vacuum-driven capillary viscometer at high shear rates (>500 s−1), at which the power law exponent (n) of zebrafish blood was nearly 1 behaving as a Newtonian fluid. The measured values of whole blood from the micro-channel (4.17cP) and the vacuum method (4.22cP) at 500 s−1 were closely correlated at 27 °C. A calibration curve was established for viscosity as a function of hematocrits to predict a rise and fall in viscosity during embryonic development. Thus, our rapid capillary pressure-driven micro-channel revealed the Newtonian fluid behavior of zebrafish blood at high shear rates and the dynamic viscosity during development.
Microbiota promotes systemic T-cell survival through suppression of an apoptotic factor
Authors: Soto Raymond , Petersen Charisse , Novis Camille L. , Kubinak Jason L. , Bell Rickesha , Stephens W. Zac , Lane Thomas E. , Fujinami Robert S. , Bosque Alberto , O’Connell Ryan M. , Round June L. 
Published: May 2017

SignificanceLittle is known about the molecular mechanisms by which the microbiota influences T-cell responses. We have determined that a secreted protein, Erdr1, is highly upregulated in germfree T cells and that microbial products can suppress Erdr1 through MyD88. Erdr1 functions to induce apoptosis through a Fas-dependent pathway that can impact the process of immunization and dictate the clinical course of autoimmunity. Thus, microbial colonization functions to regulate T-cell survival through suppression of the cytokine Erdr1, revealing a potentially new T-cell factor that can be therapeutically targeted.
Longitudinal Changes in Excess Pressure Independently Predict Declining Renal Function Among Healthy Individuals—A Pilot Study
Authors: Climie Rachel E.D. , Picone Dean S. , Sharman James E. 
Published: May 2017

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Aortic reservoir function independently predicts end-organ damage in cross-sectional analyses. However, longitudinal associations are more important regarding causation, but this has never been examined at rest or in response to light-moderate intensity exercise. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the change in aortic reservoir characteristics, in particular excess pressure integral (Pexcess) at rest and in response to exercise and the change in kidney function among healthy individuals followed over time.

METHODS
Aortic reservoir function (Pexcess and reservoir pressure), aortic stiffness, brachial and central blood pressure (BP), and renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR]) were recorded among 33 healthy individuals (57 ± 9 years; 55% male) at baseline and after an average 3.0 ± 0.3 years.

RESULTS
Over the follow up period, there was a significant increase in resting brachial BP, central BP, Pexcess, and aortic stiffness (P &lt; 0.05 all). The change over time in resting Pexcess (but not aortic stiffness) was significantly related to the change in eGFR (r = −0.38, P = 0.038) and remained independent of age at follow up, change in 24-hour ambulatory systolic BP and body mass index (β = −0.0300, P = 0.043). There was no association between the change in aortic pulse wave velocity and the change eGFR (P = 0.46) nor were there any associations with exercising hemodynamics.

CONCLUSIONS
Pexcess is independently associated with a decline in renal function among healthy people followed over 3 years. These novel findings indicate the need to determine the underlying physiological determinants of aortic reservoir function.