bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of arterial spin labeling registration strategies in the multi‐center GENetic frontotemporal dementia initiative (GENFI)
Authors: Mutsaerts Henri J.M.M. , Petr Jan , Thomas David L. , De Vita Enrico , Cash David M. , van Osch Matthias J.P. , Golay Xavier , Groot Paul F.C. , Ourselin Sebastien , van Swieten John , Laforce Robert , Tagliavini Fabrizio , Borroni Barbara , Galimberti Daniela , Rowe James B. , Graff Caroline , Pizzini Francesca B. , Finger Elizabeth , Sorbi Sandro , Castelo Branco Miguel , Rohrer Jonathan D. , Masellis Mario , MacIntosh Bradley J. ,   on behalf of the GENFI investigators
Published: May 2017

PurposeTo compare registration strategies to align arterial spin labeling (ASL) with 3D T1‐weighted (T1w) images, with the goal of reducing the between‐subject variability of cerebral blood flow (CBF) images.Materials and MethodsMulti‐center 3T ASL data were collected at eight sites with four different sequences in the multi‐center GENetic Frontotemporal dementia Initiative (GENFI) study. In a total of 48 healthy controls, we compared the following image registration options: (I) which images to use for registration (perfusion‐weighted images [PWI] to the segmented gray matter (GM) probability map (pGM) (CBF‐pGM) or M0 to T1w (M0‐T1w); (II) which transformation to use (rigid‐body or non‐rigid); and (III) whether to mask or not (no masking, M0‐based FMRIB software library Brain Extraction Tool [BET] masking). In addition to visual comparison, we quantified image similarity using the Pearson correlation coefficient (CC), and used the Mann‐Whitney U rank sum test.ResultsCBF‐pGM outperformed M0‐T1w (CC improvement 47.2% ± 22.0%; P < 0.001), and the non‐rigid transformation outperformed rigid‐body (20.6% ± 5.3%; P < 0.001). Masking only improved the M0‐T1w rigid‐body registration (14.5% ± 15.5%; P = 0.007).ConclusionThe choice of image registration strategy impacts ASL group analyses. The non‐rigid transformation is promising but requires validation. CBF‐pGM rigid‐body registration without masking can be used as a default strategy. In patients with expansive perfusion deficits, M0‐T1w may outperform CBF‐pGM in sequences with high effective spatial resolution. BET‐masking only improves M0‐T1w registration when the M0 image has sufficient contrast.Level of Evidence: 1Technical Efficacy: Stage 1J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:131–140.
Impact of updating the MALDI‐TOF MS database on the identification of nontuberculous mycobacteria
Authors: Rodriguez‐Temporal D. , Perez‐Risco D. , Struzka E. A. , Mas M. , Alcaide F. 
Published: May 2017

Conventional identification of mycobacteria species is slow, laborious and has low discriminatory power. Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) has proved highly effective for identifying conventional bacteria, and it may also be useful for identifying mycobacteria. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare MALDI‐TOF MS with currently recommended molecular methods for the identification of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), applying Mycobacteria Libraries v3.0 (ML3.0) and v2.0 (ML2.0). A total of 240 clinical isolates of 41 NTM species grown on solid media were analysed: 132 isolates of slow‐growing mycobacteria and 108 of rapid‐growing mycobacteria. MALDI‐TOF MS, using ML3.0, identified 192 (80%) NTM isolates with a score ≥1.7, encompassing 35 (85.4%) different species, that is, 17 (7.1%; p = 0.0863) isolates and 15 (36.6%; p = 0.0339) species more than currently recommended molecular techniques (polymerase chain reaction reverse hybridization). All these isolates were correctly identified according to molecular identification methods. The application of ML3.0 also identified 15 (6.2%) NTM isolates more than ML2.0 (p < 0.01). The scores obtained with MALDI‐TOF MS using ML3.0 (mean score: 1.960) were higher in 147 (61.2%) isolates than when using ML2.0 (mean score: 1.797; p < 0.01). Three of the species analysed were not included in either database, so they were not recognized by this system. In conclusion, MALDI‐TOF MS identified more isolates and species than the recommended polymerase chain reaction reverse hybridization assays. Although the new ML3.0 is not the definitive database, it yielded better results than ML2.0. This shows that the updating of the MALDI‐TOF MS database plays an essential role in mycobacterial identification. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Controlling the structure of sequence‐defined poly(phosphodiester)s for optimal MS/MS reading of digital information
Authors: Amalian J.‐A. , Al Ouahabi A. , Cavallo G. , König N. F. , Poyer S. , Lutz J.‐F. , Charles L. 
Published: May 2017

Digital polymers are monodisperse chains with a controlled sequence of co‐monomers, defined as letters of an alphabet, and are used to store information at the molecular level. Reading such messages is hence a sequencing task that can be efficiently achieved by tandem mass spectrometry. To improve their readability, structure of sequence‐controlled synthetic polymers can be optimized, based on considerations regarding their fragmentation behavior. This strategy is described here for poly(phosphodiester)s, which were synthesized as monodisperse chains with more than 100 units but exhibited extremely complex dissociation spectra. In these polymers, two repeating units that differ by a simple H/CH3 variation were defined as the 0 and 1 bit of the ASCII code and spaced by a phosphate moiety. They were readily ionized in negative ion mode electrospray but dissociated via cleavage at all phosphate bonds upon collisional activation. Although allowing a complete sequence coverage of digital poly(phosphodiester)s, this fragmentation behavior was not efficient for macromolecules with more than 50 co‐monomers, and data interpretation was very tedious. The structure of these polymers was then modified by introducing alkoxyamine linkages at appropriate location throughout the chain. A first design consisted of placing these low dissociation energy bonds between each monomeric bit: while cleavage of this sole bond greatly simplified MS/MS spectra, efficient sequencing was limited to chains with up to about 50 units. In contrast, introduction of alkoxyamine bonds between each byte (i.e. a set of eight co‐monomers) was a more successful strategy. Long messages (so far, up to 8 bytes) could be read in MS3 experiments, where single‐byte containing fragments released during the first activation stage were further dissociated for sequencing. The whole sequence of such byte‐truncated poly(phosphodiester)s could be easily re‐constructed based on a mass tagging system which permits to determine the original location of each byte in the chain. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Seasonal and intraseasonal variability of precipitable water vapour in the Chajnantor plateau, Chile
Authors: Marín Julio C. , Barrett Bradford S. 
Published: May 2017

ABSTRACTThe Chajnantor plateau is located in the Atacama Desert at over 4800 m above sea level. The plateau features a large fraction of days during the year where dry and stable atmospheric conditions predominate. The suitability of the type of astronomy observations routinely made at sites across the Chajnantor region at different times of the year depends on the variability of atmospheric water vapour.In this work, we study seasonal and intraseasonal variability associated with periods of large and low precipitable water vapour (PWV) in the Chajnantor region over 32 years. We establish large‐scale conditions favourable for above‐ and below‐normal PWV for each of the four seasons. We also explore whether intraseasonal PWV variations are related to the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO). Below‐normal PWV in winter, spring, and autumn seasons was found associated with mostly zonal 500‐hPa winds, which advect drier than normal air from the anticyclone over the eastern portions of the southeast (SE) Pacific Ocean. In summer, periods with below‐normal PWV were found to have anomalously south‐westerly winds at mid‐levels, also indicating transport of anomalously dry air from the stable SE Pacific. In winter, spring, and autumn seasons, above‐normal PWV was generally associated with north‐westerly mid‐tropospheric wind anomalies, indicating advection of above‐normal PWV from the subtropical and tropical regions of the SE Pacific Ocean. Above‐normal PWV conditions in summer were associated with nearly calm winds at 500 hPa. Months and phases of the MJO for the most extreme anomalies of PWV for each season agreed well with the seasonal anomalies. Furthermore, three independent reanalysis data sets generally agreed on MJO phases associated with largest positive and negative PWV anomalies. This agreement provides evidence for the first time that the MJO modulates the PWV content over the Atacama Desert.
Linking trends in urban extreme rainfall to urban flooding in China
Authors: Zhou Xinyao , Bai Zhijie , Yang Yonghui 
Published: May 2017

ABSTRACTStorm‐induced urban flooding is a global issue that causes large damages and fatalities. Characterizing extreme rainfall is critical to urban flood risk management. Although China's cities have been experiencing a rapid increase in urban flooding in recent decades, there is a lack of national‐wide analysis of the occurrence of extreme urban rainfall. This study examined the trends in extreme rainfall in 146 cities in China for the period 1960–2014. The trends were also analysed in terms of city size (small, big and mega cities) in two city clusters (Jing‐Jin‐Jin City Cluster and Yangtze City Cluster). There was a strong spatial variation in the trends of extreme rainfall across the country, with negative trends in North China and positive trends in Southeast China. Both positive and negative trends were noted for the other regions of China. All the cities in Jing‐Jin‐Ji City Cluster had a decreasing trend in extreme rainfall, with a significant decline (p = 0.03) for mega cities. Then all cities in the Yangtze City Cluster had an increasing trend in extreme rainfall, with a significant increase (p=0.02) for big cities. The findings suggested that efforts to alleviate storm‐induced urban flash floods should take into account both spatial disparities in climate and future changes in extreme rainfall events.
Cultivation of Solanum tuberosum in a former mining district for a safe human consumption integrating simulated digestion
Authors: Sierra María José , López‐Nicolás Rubén , González‐Bermúdez Carlos A , Frontela‐Saseta Carmen , Millán Rocio 
Published: May 2017

AbstractBACKGROUNDPotato (Solanum tuberosum) is a global crop and by far the most important non‐cereal crop in the world. Therefore, it is necessary to assure its safe consumption. This is especially relevant in the case of its cultivation in abandoned mining areas, where the population tends to return to agriculture. In the present work, the objective is to evaluate the contribution to the diet of nutrients and contaminants of potato grown in soils from the Almadén area (mining district) by studying the intestinal absorption (in vitro) of the tuber, taking into account the preparation methods for its consumption.RESULTSThe results of contaminant and nutrient contents show that the potato peel retains significantly more elements (mainly in the case of toxic elements) than the flesh. Furthermore, potato (peel and flesh) is a good source of iron.CONCLUSIONIt is recommended to boil potatoes with the peel in order to minimize nutrient loss and, before consumption, peeling them to eliminate possible risks due to contaminants. In addition, to minimize the risk due of mercury and to improve the levels of calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium, it is recommended to add salt during the boiling process. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Cardamom supplementation improves inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in hyperlipidemic, overweight, and obese pre‐diabetic women: a randomized double‐blind clinical trial
Authors: Kazemi Shiva , Yaghooblou Fatemeh , Siassi Fereydoun , Rahimi Foroushani Abbas , Ghavipour Mahsa , Koohdani Fariba , Sotoudeh Gity 
Published: May 2017

AbstractBACKGROUNDSeveral preclinical studies have shown that spices may decrease the risk of chronic diseases. However, it has been suggested that more clinical trials be carried out to strengthen this preclinical evidence. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) supplementation on inflammation and oxidative stress in hyperlipidemic, overweight, and obese pre‐diabetic women.METHODSThis randomized, placebo‐controlled, double‐blind clinical trial was conducted on 80 pre‐diabetic subjects. They randomly received the cardamom supplement (n = 40, 3 g d−1) or identical inert placebo (n = 40) for 8 weeks. Serum concentrations of high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), tumour necrosis factor α, total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl, and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase activity were analyzed at the baseline and after intervention.RESULTSAfter the adjustment of some covariates, cardamom supplementation significantly decreased serum hs‐CRP (P = 0.02), hs‐CRP:IL‐6 ratio (P = 0.008), and MDA (P = 0.009) compared with the placebo group.CONCLUSIONCardamom could improve some parameters of inflammation and oxidative stress in pre‐diabetic subjects. Thus it may be useful in reducing complications associated with inflammation and oxidative stress in these patients. Copyright © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Faba beans and peas in poultry feed: economic assessment
Authors: Proskina Liga , Cerina Sallija 
Published: May 2017

AbstractBACKGROUNDBroiler diets mainly consist of cereals and protein‐rich feed sources; in the EU‐27, poultry farming consumes 24% of the total amount of protein‐rich feedstuffs. Since the EU produces only 30% of the total quantity of protein crops used for feed, it is necessary to promote the use of traditional European protein crops (beans, peas) for feed in livestock farming. The research aim is to identify economic gains from the production of broiler chicken meat, replacing soybean meal with domestic faba beans and field peas in broiler chicken diets.RESULTSAdding field peas and faba beans to the broiler feed ration resulted in a significant live weight increase (5.74–11.95%) at the selling age, a decrease in the feed conversion ratio by 0.61–6.06%, and decrease in the product unit cost (15.34–37.06%) as well as an increase in the production efficiency factor (8.70–48.54), compared with the control group.CONCLUSIONThe optimum kind of legume species used in the broiler diet was peas, which were added in the amount of 200 g kg−1, resulting in live weight gain, a decrease in the feed conversion ratio and an increase in the production efficiency factor. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Models to improve the non‐destructive analysis of persimmon fruit properties by VIS/NIR spectrometry
Authors: Altieri Giuseppe , Genovese Francesco , Tauriello Antonella , Di Renzo Giovanni Carlo 
Published: May 2017

AbstractBACKGROUNDVisible–near‐infrared spectrometry is a technique suitable for assessing chemical and physiological properties of fruit. Some models of calibration/prediction have been tested in order to assess the feasibility of a visible–near‐infrared sensor in order to monitor persimmon fruit colour, firmness, soluble solids, titratable acidity and soluble tannins.RESULTSFive regression models were investigated: principal component, partial least squares, stepwise, support vector machines and ensembles of trees. These models were assessed by a 10‐fold cross‐validation with a new strategy for both outlier removal and wavelength reduction; furthermore, their statistical significance was evaluated by 100 Monte Carlo simulation runs. Principal component regression allowed us to build excellent and/or very good fit/prediction models. The results (in terms of RPD as standard deviation to performance standard error ratio) are: 9.23 (±0.26) for colour index, 10.18 (±0.37) for firmness, 7.15 (±0.28) for soluble solids content, 7.87 (±0.31) for titratable acidity and 8.91 (±0.33) for soluble tannins content.CONCLUSIONThe proposed strategy, for outlier removal and wavelength reduction, allowed the achievement of useful results. Principal component regression fit/prediction capability produced excellent results. Conversely, partial least squares regression showed fair/poor results and the remaining tested models performed badly on real data. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Total detection of Tianma Toutong tablets for quality consistency by a five‐wavelength fusion fingerprint and chemometrics
Authors: Yang Zhe , Sun Guo‐xiang 
Published: May 2017

A fingerprint method was developed and combined with chemometrics for quality evaluation of Tianma Toutong tablets, which are herbal medicine tablets used to treat migraine. Samples were analyzed by high‐performance liquid chromatography, where five single‐wavelength profiles (203, 232, 254, 280 and 310 nm) were fused to generate a five‐wavelength fusion fingerprint and were also used for the quantitative analysis of seven chemical markers (gastrodin, caffeic acid, hesperidin, isoimperatorin, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid and imperatorin). A systematic quantitative fingerprint method and principal component analysis were used to analyze the generated data. Samples could be well distinguished from different manufacturers by analyzing the chromatographic data sets. In addition, the partial least squares model can serve as an antioxidant activity evaluation of Tianma Toutong tablets, as well as a reference for the selection of active constituents to analyze the spectrum–activity relationship. In summary, the integrated use of the fingerprint and chemometric analysis provides a reliable method for the identification of markers and the quality control of Tianma Toutong tablets.
Effects of iron limitation on silicon uptake kinetics and elemental stoichiometry in two Southern Ocean diatoms, Eucampia antarctica and Proboscia inermis, and the temperate diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana
Authors: Meyerink Scott W. , Ellwood Michael J. , Maher William A. , Dean Price G. , Strzepek Robert F. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractWe investigated the effects of iron (Fe) limitation on the elemental stoichiometry, silicic acid (Si(OH)4) uptake kinetics and cell morphology in two Southern Ocean diatoms Eucampia antarctica and Proboscia inermis and the temperate diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana. An increase in Fe‐stress resulted in reductions in specific growth rate and decreases in cellular nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) content relative to cellular biogenic silica (BSi) in both Southern Ocean diatoms and a reduction in growth rate only for T. pseudonana. Both E. antarctica and P. inermis exhibited an increase in cell volume in response to Fe‐limitation resulting in a decrease in the cell surface to volume ratio, while normalization of BSi content to cell surface area suggests these diatoms do not become more heavily silicified under Fe limitation. Kinetic Si(OH)4 uptake experiments performed on all three diatom species show that Si(OH)4 uptake is reduced under Fe‐limited conditions. For Southern Ocean diatoms, this was manifested through a decrease in the maximum specific uptake rate of Si(OH)4 (VSi‐max), along with a decrease in the half‐saturation constant for Si(OH)4 uptake (KSi) under Fe stress for E. antarctica. Our data also show that when normalized to cell surface area, VSi‐max of the three diatoms species exhibited a linear relationship with cellular growth rate, and was independent of cell morphological variations. Our results suggest that the morphological adaptations of Southern Ocean diatoms in response to Fe‐stress have the potential to affect phytoplankton community dynamics and Si(OH)4 : NO3 uptake and export ratios in Southern Ocean waters.
Mechanistic Aspects of Aqueous Heterogeneous Radical Polymerization of Styrene under Compressed CO2
Authors: Hadzir Noor Hadzuin Nik , Dong Siming , Kuchel Rhiannon P. , Lucien Frank P. , Zetterlund Per B. 
Published: May 2017

Radical polymerization of styrene in aqueous emulsions pressurized by CO2 has been investigated with a view to development of low energy miniemulsion polymerization. The general requirement of high energy mixing to generate miniemulsions comprising sub‐micrometer‐size monomer droplets has long been an impediment to wide‐spread industrial application. It is demonstrated by use of online dynamic light scattering and visual observation that CO2 pressurization to the so‐called transparency pressure of an emulsion comprising styrene/hexadecane/Dowfax 8390 (anionic surfactant)/water leads to a decrease in droplet size as well as an increase in emulsion stability. However, mechanistic investigations of radical polymerization under CO2 pressure reveal that these polymerizations do not proceed as true miniemulsion polymerization systems (i.e., via exclusive monomer droplet nucleation), but are also characterized by a significant contribution of particle formation via secondary nucleation as in an ab initio emulsion polymerization.
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Electrospun Bead‐On‐String Hierarchical Fibers for Fog Harvesting Application
Authors: Thakur Neha , Ranganath Anupama Sargur , Agarwal Komal , Baji Avinash 
Published: May 2017

Quest for efficient fog harvesting methods has drawn immense attention in recent times. In this study, electrospinning is used to fabricate three different sets of membranes that are based on pristine poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) fibers, pristine polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) fibers, and PNIPAM‐PVDF bead‐on‐string fibers. The wettability of these membranes is investigated as a function of temperature and the effect of their wettability on the fog collection efficiency is determined. Membranes based on pristine PNIPAM and pristine PVDF fibers are fabricated using conventional electrospinning and are shown to have a smooth surface morphology. On the other hand, PNIPAM‐PVDF bead‐on‐string fibers are fabricated using core–shell electrospinning. Water collection efficiency of the membranes is compared to investigate the influence of microstructures and wettability gradient on fog harvesting ability of the samples. Among the three samples, the bead‐on‐string hierarchical fibrous membrane demonstrates the highest fog harvesting rate of 1150 ± 28 mg cm−2 h−1 at 25 °C and 909 ± 31 mg cm−2 h−1 at 40 °C. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the presence of microstructures on the nanofibers improve the fog harvesting efficiency of PNIPAM‐PVDF bead‐on‐string fibers.
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Swelling and Tensile Properties of Tetra‐Polyethylene glycol via Coarse‐Grained Molecular Models
Authors: Wang Endian , Escobedo Fernando 
Published: May 2017

Coarse‐grained (CG) implicit‐solvent potentials are developed for tetra‐polyethylene glycol (PEG) at different water concentrations using the iterative Boltzmann inversion (IBI) technique. The resulting potentials are used to study the swelling and tensile properties of tetra‐PEG gels at various swelling degrees φm. Two types of network topologies are considered, one “ideal” with a defect‐free diamond connectivity and the other “realistic” as simulated from an experimentally based cross‐linking process. Equilibrium swelling results for the realistic Tetra‐PEG networks are consistent with available experimental data, while those for the ideal tetra‐PEG networks exhibit much larger swelling. The realistic networks have higher Young's modulus Em at the same φm than ideal networks due to the presence of trapped entanglements. Uniaxial deformation results of realistic networks show that Em increases with degree of swelling, in accord with experimental results. The Young's moduli of gels at different φm confirm that the CG potentials developed by IBI are most suited to predict swelling states commensurate with the φm values at which the potentials were calibrated. A more generic, coarser potential, based on matching the persistence length of atomistic PEG chains in water, is able to produce a similar swelling behavior of an ideal diamond network.
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