bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Gene expression analysis of developing cell groups in the pretectal region of Xenopus laevis
Authors: Morona Ruth , Ferran José Luis , Puelles Luis , González Agustín 
Published: January 2017

ABSTRACTOur previous analysis of progenitor domains in the pretectum of Xenopus revealed three molecularly distinct anteroposterior subdivisions, identified as precommissural (PcP), juxtacommissural (JcP), and commissural (CoP) histogenetic domains (Morona et al. [2011] J Comp Neurol 519:1024–1050). Here we analyzed at later developmental stages the nuclei derived from these areas, attending to their gene expression patterns and histogenesis. Transcription‐factor gene markers were used to selectively map derivatives of each domain: Pax7 and Pax6 (CoP); Foxp1 and Six3 (JcP); and Xiro1, VGlut2, Ebf1, and Ebf3 (PcP). Additional genoarchitectural information was provided by the expression of Gbx2, NPY, Lhx1, and Lhx9. This allowed both unambiguous characterization of the anuran pretectal nuclei with regard to their origin in the three early anteroposterior progenitor domains, and their comparison with counterparts in the chick and mouse pretectum. Our observations demonstrated a molecular conservation, during practically all the stages analyzed, for most of the main markers used to define genoarchitecturally the main derivatives of each pretectal domain. We found molecular evidence to propose homologous derivatives from the CoP (olivary pretectal, parvocellular, and magnocellular posterior commissure and lateral terminal nuclei), JcP (spiriformis lateral and lateral terminal nuclei), and PcP (anterior pretectal nucleus) to those described in avian studies. These results represent significant progress in the comprehension of the diencephalic region of Xenopus and show that the organization of the pretectum possesses many features shared with birds. J. Comp. Neurol. 525:715–752, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Quo Vadis, Implanted Fuel Cell?
Authors: Shleev Sergey 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe road to safe and effective implantable electrical power devices has been long—and the goal has not been reached yet, although a certain amount of scientific and technological progress has been made. This brief review is focused on highlighting the stages of development of implanted fuel cells capable of providing electrical power for running implanted “personal electronics”. The paper starts with early efforts to implant glucose‐burning fuel cells in dogs, and ends with realistic attempts at interfacing a more sophisticated enzymatic glucose/oxygen fuel cell in an actual human blood stream. However, before that, the review deals with thermodynamic aspects of fuel cells, emphasizing the general advantages of these devices. Further steps, which are needed to realize the potential of this technology and which somehow differ from generally accepted ideas, are presented. These next steps are evaluated in the context of theoretically achievable abilities of implantable chemical power sources, which are not as great as many researchers might expect.
Generation of Recombinant Vaccinia Viruses
Authors: Wyatt Linda S. , Earl Patricia L. , Moss Bernard 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThis unit describes how to infect cells with vaccinia virus and then transfect them with a plasmid‐transfer vector or PCR fragment to generate a recombinant virus. Selection and screening methods used to isolate recombinant viruses and a method for the amplification of recombinant viruses are described. Finally, a method for live immunostaining that has been used primarily for detection of recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) is presented. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Electroporation in the Rodent Embryonic Brain Using Whole Embryo Culture System
Authors: Kikkawa Takako , Takahashi Masanori , Osumi Noriko 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThis unit describes basic methods for mammalian whole embryo culture (WEC) using embryonic day 10.5 mouse embryos, including the preparation of high‐quality immediately centrifuged (IC) rat serum that is commonly used for WEC and is essential for normal growth and development of cultured mouse and rat embryos in vitro. An alternative protocol for different stages of rodent embryos is also introduced. Since embryos for WEC are dissected out of the uterus and manipulated under the microscope, one can overcome many of the difficulties of gene delivery encountered using in utero electroporation. A description for a gene transfer method to label neural stem/progenitor cells of the cortical primordium in a highly region‐specific manner is also included. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Intracerebral Injections and Ultrastructural Analysis of High‐Pressure Frozen Brain Tissue
Authors: Weil Marie‐Theres , Ruhwedel Torben , Möbius Wiebke , Simons Mikael 
Published: January 2017

AbstractIntracerebral injections are an invasive method to bypass the blood brain barrier and are widely used to study molecular and cellular mechanisms of the central nervous system. The administered substances are injected directly at the site of interest, executing their effect locally. By combining injections in the rat brain with state‐of‐the‐art electron microscopy, subtle changes in ultrastructure of the nervous tissue can be detected prior to overt damage or disease. The protocol presented here involves stereotactic injection into the corpus callosum of Lewis rats and the cryopreparation of freshly dissected tissue for electron microscopy. The localization of the injection site in tissue sections during the sample preparation for transmission electron microscopy is explained and possible artifacts of the method are indicated. With the help of this powerful combination of injections and electron microscopy, subtle effects of the applied substances on the biology of neural cells can be identified and monitored over time. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Green Synthesis of Carbon Quantum Dots for Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Guo Xiaochen , Zhang Huayang , Sun Hongqi , Tade Moses O. , Wang Shaobin 
Published: January 2017

AbstractCarbon quantum dots (CQDs) have attracted tremendous interest owing to their application in bioimaging, sensors, medicine and catalysis. Herein, CQDs were prepared from several carbon sources as sensitizers for solar cells. Of the CQDs prepared, bee‐pollen‐based CQDs (B‐CQDs) achieved the highest power conversion efficiency of 0.11 % under one sun illumination (AM 1.5).
Radiated EMI study on super‐junction VDMOS in flyback power converters
Authors: Cheng Weichang , Xu Shen , Sun Weifeng 
Published: January 2017

SummaryElectronic products must satisfy radiated noise specifications. In this paper, the impact of the power devices structures on the radiated electromagnetic interference (EMI) is investigated. The key stages of turn‐on and turn‐off waveforms in a flyback power converter using super‐junction metal–oxide semiconductor field‐effect transistor (SJMOS) are first discussed. Then, the impacts of parasitic capacitances on fast slew‐rate edges and harmonics are proposed. According to the analysis, the parasitic capacitances are considered to be the decisive factors of radiated EMI in the SJMOS. Furthermore, the unique formation mechanism and characteristic of parasitic capacitances in SJMOS are discussed. Based on the analysis, three groups of SJMOS with grid gate structure are fabricated to adjust the parasitic capacitance and then to validate the theory. The radiated EMI performances of three SJMOS with different structural parameters are then tested and discussed. The theoretical analysis agrees with experimental results. As an important advantage, the structure presented in this paper is provided to adjust the parasitic capacitances purposely to achieve a better tradeoff between the efficiency and EMI performance. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Connected component masking accurately identifies the ratio of phagocytosed and cell‐bound particles in individual cells by imaging flow cytometry
Authors: Fei Chenjie , Lillico Dustin M.E. , Hall Brian , Rieger Aja M. , Stafford James L. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractInnate immune cell‐mediated recognition, capture, and engulfment of large particulate targets such as bacteria is known as phagocytosis. This highly dynamic cellular process involves a series of steps including receptor‐mediated target binding, phagocytic cup formation, pseudopod extension, and phagosome closure, which depend on distinct actin polymerization events. Using flow cytometry, precise determination of target locations relative to cell membranes (i.e., surface‐bound vs. fully engulfed/internalized) during the phagocytic process is difficult to quantify. Here, we describe the application of new analysis features within the IDEAS® software to distinguish internalized and surface‐bound particles on individual cells with a high degree of accuracy and reproducibility. Through the use of connected component masks, the accurate discrimination of surface‐bound beads versus those internalized is clearly demonstrated. In addition, we were able to further analyze the ratio of beads that had been surface‐bound or internalized within individual cells. This novel method of analyzing the phagocytic process provides more accurate determination of target‐cell interactions that will assist in examination of the signalling events that occur during the various stages of phagocytosis. © 2017 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Selective Methanol Gas Detection Using a U‐Bent Optical Fiber Modified with a Silica Nanoparticle Multilayer
Authors: OKUDA HIROFUMI , WANG TAO , LEE SEUNG‐WOO 
Published: January 2017

SUMMARYThe development of an evanescent wave optical fiber sensor modified with an organic–inorganic hybrid nanoporous thin film for the detection of organic solvent vapors was demonstrated. The optical fiber with a core diameter of 200 μm was bent into U‐shape to enhance the penetration depth of light transferred into the evanescent field, and modified with a multilayered thin film of poly (allylamine hydrochloride) and silica nanoparticles (PAH/SiO2)n, via layer‐by‐layer (LbL) film deposition. The mesoporous film structure led to higher molecular diffusion and the highest selectivity to methanol among the six alcohols and water, which were used as target analytes, by the aid of tetrakis (4‐sulfophenyl) porphine (TSPP) infused inside the film.
Development of Multichannel Ion Doppler Spectroscopic System by Using Fast Camera
Authors: HANAO TAKAFUMI , UESAKA YOSHIHARU , KAWAI TAKAHIRO , KIKUCHI YUSUKE , FUKUMOTO NAOYUKI , NAGATA MASAYOSHI 
Published: January 2017

SUMMARYThe multichannel ion Doppler spectroscopic (M‐IDS) system using a fast camera as detectors has been newly developed to measure the spatial profiles of impurity spectral line emissions from plasmas. The M‐IDS system developed with eight viewing chords is characterized by the simplest optical systems, a fast sampling frequency, high number of shooting, and a low crosstalk of 3.5% on each chord. In order to verify the usefulness and reliability of the M‐IDS system, we have applied it for the start‐up plasma produced in the helicity injected spherical torus device. Resultantly, we have successfully measured the radial profiles of Doppler ion temperature Ti.D and Doppler ion velocity vi.D of the plasma with a good Gaussian fitting. However, we have found that the sampling frequency is upper limited by 25 kHz because the signal detected with a faster frequency from the CIII impurity line emission is too weak to be analyzed, and thus the sensitivity of the total system needs to be improved.
Warming advances top‐down control and reduces producer biomass in a freshwater plankton community
Authors: Velthuis Mandy , de Senerpont Domis Lisette N. , Frenken Thijs , Stephan Susanne , Kazanjian Garabet , Aben Ralf , Hilt Sabine , Kosten Sarian , van Donk Ellen , Van de Waal Dedmer B. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractGlobal warming has been shown to affect ecosystems worldwide. Warming may, for instance, disrupt plant herbivore synchrony and bird phenology in terrestrial systems, reduce primary production in oceans, and promote toxic cyanobacterial blooms in freshwater lakes. Responses of communities will not only depend on direct species‐specific temperature effects, but also on indirect effects related to bottom‐up and top‐down processes. Here, we investigated the impact of warming on freshwater phytoplankton community dynamics, and assessed the relative contribution of nutrient availability, fungal parasitism, and grazing therein. For this purpose, we performed an indoor mesocosm experiment following seasonal temperature dynamics of temperate lakes and a warmed (+4°C) scenario from early spring to late summer. We assessed phytoplankton biomass, C:N:P stoichiometry and community composition, dissolved nutrient availabilities, fungal parasite (i.e., chytrid) prevalence, and zooplankton abundance. Warming led to an overall reduction in phytoplankton biomass as well as lower C:P and N:P ratios, while phytoplankton community composition remained largely unaltered. Warming resulted in an earlier termination of the diatom spring bloom, and an epidemic of its fungal parasite ended earlier as well. Furthermore, warming advanced zooplankton phenology, leading to an earlier top‐down control on phytoplankton in the period after the spring bloom. Linear model analysis showed that most of the observed variance in phytoplankton biomass was related to seasonal temperature dynamics in combination with zooplankton abundance. Our findings showed that warming advanced grazer phenology and reduced phytoplankton biomass, thereby demonstrating how bottom‐up and top‐down related processes may shape future phytoplankton dynamics.
Using nested connectivity models to resolve management conflicts of isolated water networks in the Sonoran Desert
Authors: Drake Joseph C. , Griffis‐Kyle Kerry , McIntyre Nancy E. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractConnectivity is essential to organisms for dispersal, mate finding, and resource access. Management conflicts may arise if the attempts to maintain connectivity in the face of habitat loss result in opening up dispersal corridors to invasive species and disease vectors to already‐threatened native species. Using the mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) as examples in a network of surface waters in the Sonoran Desert, we illustrate and propose a resolution to these conflicts. We used structural and functional metrics from graph and circuit theory to quantify landscape connectivity within a spatially nested framework under current and future climate‐based scenarios at regional and local scales to project structural and functional climate impacts for both species. Results indicated that climate impacts may reduce both structural and functional potential connectivity for each species. Mule deer, however, will be impacted to a lesser degree, and the proposed management mitigation of exclusion areas will have a potential lesser impact on this species. From our results, we propose a method to create exclusion areas and site new waters to help mitigate increasing spread of invasive species like the bullfrog while maintaining resource availability and local connectivity for economically important species like the mule deer. The isolation of local clusters from invasive species may be a successful and useful way to reduce management conflicts in the Sonoran Desert isolated waters network and beyond.
Effects of grazing on ecosystem structure and function of alpine grasslands in Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau: a synthesis
Authors: Lu Xuyang , Kelsey Kathy C. , Yan Yan , Sun Jian , Wang Xiaodan , Cheng Genwei , Neff Jason C. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractHumans have grazed on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP) for many thousands of years. In recent decades, the intensity of grazing has increased and several new management strategies have been put into place to address the resulting changes in rangeland condition. Effective management of grazing activities in this region requires understanding the impact of livestock grazing across the diverse array of alpine grassland ecosystems present in the QTP, but recent studies have identified a number of critical uncertainties in the ecological science that underlies these management principles. To address these uncertainties, we carried out a synthesis analysis of the effect of livestock grazing on 26 indicators of ecosystem structure and function based on 61 studies from 88 independent research sites within the QTP. Our synthesis results indicate that livestock grazing exerts complex controls on ecosystem structure and function, which vary according to local landscape characteristics. We found that grazing contributes to greater plant species diversity (Shannon–Wiener index, Simpson dominance index, and Pielou evenness index significantly increased 0.18, 0.05, and 0.03, respectively, due to grazing), but decreased aboveground biomass (47.15%), soil organic carbon (12.41%), soil total nitrogen (12.75%), and microbial biomass carbon (9.42%). Further, ecosystem function is controlled by interactions between grazing and other landscape characteristics such as elevation and mean annual temperature. The management regime currently in place in the QTP, which involves complete exclusion of grazing in some areas, can have variable effects on grassland health. Therefore, the complexity of these responses is an indication that livestock and grassland management may benefit from a more nuanced management regime than is currently utilized in the QTP.
Invasive ants influence native lizard populations
Authors: Darracq Andrea K. , Smith Lora L. , Oi David H. , Conner L. Mike , McCleery Robert A. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta; hereafterRIFA) is an invasive predator found on four continents, namely South America, North America, Australia, and Asia. Red imported fire ants are implicated in the decline of native invertebrates and vertebrates throughout their invaded range. We used the eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) as a model species to understand the influence ofRIFAs on native reptiles in the southeastern United States. Our objective was to quantify the effects ofRIFAs on fence lizard recruitment and survival. We experimentally stocked populations of fence lizards into eight enclosures with either ambient or reduced numbers ofRIFAs from May 2012 to October 2013. Fitting Link‐Barker models, we found that theRIFAtreatment affected fence lizard recruitment (f), but not survival (Φ). Recruitment was 1.6 times greater in the enclosures with reduced numbers ofRIFAs than in those with ambient numbers. Red imported fire ants likely affect reptiles with analogous life history strategies to those of fence lizards similarly. Consequently,RIFAs may have undesirable consequences for the biodiversity of reptiles in the southeastern United States and on other continents with establishedRIFApopulations.
Environmental niche models for riverine desert fishes and their similarity according to phylogeny and functionality
Authors: Whitney James E. , Whittier Joanna B. , Paukert Craig P. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractEnvironmental filtering and competitive exclusion are hypotheses frequently invoked in explaining species' environmental niches (i.e., geographic distributions). A key assumption in both hypotheses is that the functional niche (i.e., species traits) governs the environmental niche, but few studies have rigorously evaluated this assumption. Furthermore, phylogeny could be associated with these hypotheses if it is predictive of functional niche similarity via phylogenetic signal or convergent evolution, or of environmental niche similarity through phylogenetic attraction or repulsion. The objectives of this study were to investigate relationships between environmental niches, functional niches, and phylogenies of fishes of the Upper (UCRB) and Lower (LCRB) Colorado River Basins of southwestern North America. We predicted that functionally similar species would have similar environmental niches (i.e., environmental filtering) and that closely related species would be functionally similar (i.e., phylogenetic signal) and possess similar environmental niches (i.e., phylogenetic attraction). Environmental niches were quantified using environmental niche modeling, and functional similarity was determined using functional trait data. Nonnatives in the UCRB provided the only support for environmental filtering, which resulted from several warmwater nonnatives having dam number as a common predictor of their distributions, whereas several cool‐ and coldwater nonnatives shared mean annual air temperature as an important distributional predictor. Phylogenetic signal was supported for both natives and nonnatives in both basins. Lastly, phylogenetic attraction was only supported for native fishes in the LCRB and for nonnative fishes in the UCRB. Our results indicated that functional similarity was heavily influenced by evolutionary history, but that phylogenetic relationships and functional traits may not always predict the environmental distribution of species. However, the similarity of environmental niches among warmwater centrarchids, ictalurids, fundulids, and poeciliids in the UCRB indicated that dam removals could influence the distribution of these nonnatives simultaneously, thus providing greater conservation benefits. However, this same management strategy would have more limited effects on nonnative salmonids, catostomids, and percids with colder temperature preferences, thus necessitating other management strategies to control these species.
Judging Degradation of Lithium‐Ion Batteries Using a Real‐Time Capacitance Measurement
Authors: KANEKO FUTAO , KAWAKAMI TAKAHIRO , SHINBO KAZUNARI , BABA AKIRA , KATO KEIZO , MIYAZAKI SHIGETOSHI , SHIMIZU KOICHI , SATO KENICHI , HANAOKA OSAMU 
Published: January 2017

SUMMARYA novel method was proposed to judge degradation/health of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) using the capacitance that was estimated from the real‐time voltage and current characteristics of the batteries. It is thought that the capacitance of LIBs decreases with degradation because of undesirable components formed on the electrodes that are the main cause of the degradation. As the LIBs are active, the capacitance was evaluated from the differential equation, ∆Q/∆v = I/(∆v/∆t) = i/(dv/dt), using the voltage and current characteristics during the charging or discharging. The capacitances of the commercial LIBs with different SOHs; 100%, 92%, and 88% were estimated during the charging and discharging using the equation. The average capacitance in the specific voltage region of the batteries was directly proportional to the state of health. Therefore, the proposed measurement is thought to be a useful method for judging degradation of LIBs.