bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Non‐sterilized fermentative production of acetoin with 2,3‐butanediol as a main byproduct from maize hydrolysate by a newly isolated thermophilic Bacillus strain
Authors: Xiao Zijun , Gu Rulin , Hou Xiaoyuan , Zhao Jing‐yi , Zhu Hu , Lu Jian R 
Published: April 2017

AbstractBACKGROUNDAcetoin is an important biorefinery platform chemical with many industrial uses. It is mainly produced by chemical synthesis or mesophilic fermentation with high costs.RESULTSA thermophilic Bacillus strain was isolated to efficiently produce acetoin from maize hydrolysate at 50°C. The fermentation medium was statistically optimized by Plackett–Burman design. Operational conditions were then optimized using a 4.2 L fermenter conducted at 50°C without sterilization. Oxygen enriched air (65% oxygen) accelerated substrate consumption but did not increase product titer. In comparison with 600 rpm, agitation speed controlled at 400 rpm yielded less acetoin but more 2,3‐butanediol in the final products. A two‐stage pH control strategy (pH first at 6.6–7.1 then at 7.7–8.0) was applied to further increase the yield of acetoin. Finally, 50.8 g L‐1 of acetoin and 32.1 g L‐1 of 2,3‐butanediol were obtained from 251 g L‐1 of degermed maize flour (dry weight). The conversion yield from sugar to the 4‐carbon compounds (acetoin and 2,3‐butanediol) was 94.4% of the theoretical value.CONCLUSIONThis is the first report of non‐sterilized fermentative production of acetoin. Using degermed maize hydrolysate as the main feedstock, this work sets a new titer record of acetoin fermentation among known thermophilic producing systems. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Polymorphisms in the SNRPN gene are associated with obesity susceptibility in a Spanish population
Authors: Albuquerque David , Manco Licínio , González Luz M. , Gervasini Guillermo , Benito Goitzane Marcaida , González Juan R. , Rodríguez‐López Raquel 
Published: April 2017

AbstractBackgroundSNRPN, which codes for the RNA‐binding SmN protein, is a candidate gene for Prader‐Willi syndrome. One characteristic of this neuroendocrine disorder is hyperphagia resulting in extreme obesity later in life. In the present study, we aimed to assess whether variability within this gene could be implicated in obesity susceptibility.MethodsA case–control study was performed including 265 unrelated patients with nonsyndromic and early‐onset severe obesity, belonging to high‐risk obesity families from Spanish ancestry; 184 healthy control individuals were included representative of the same genetic background and sex‐matched. Forty‐nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning the entire SNRPN gene were selected and genotyped using the Sequenom MassARRAY platform (Sequenom Inc., San Diego, CA, USA).ResultsThe four SNPs, rs12905653, rs752874, rs1391516 and rs2047433, were found to be nominally associated with obesity (p < 0.03). The diversity haplotype distribution among cases and controls identified the combination rs12905653‐T/rs8028366‐A/rs4028395‐T as being strongly and inversely associated with obesity (odds ratio = 0.49; p = 0.0006). A genetic risk score was built based on rs12905653, rs1391516 and rs2047433 SNPs and each unit increase in genetic risk score increased the obesity risk by 49% (odds ratio = 1.49, 95% confidence interval = 1.24–1.80).ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first study reporting an association between variability in the SNRPN gene and the risk of being obese. Interestingly, it was the major allele of each SNP that was found to be associated with the risk of weight gain. Further studies analyzing this locus and the possible additive deleterious capability of SNP combinations could be useful for demonstrating the development of obesity.
Analytical model of subthreshold swing of a gate and channel engineered double gate MOSFET
Authors: Mahmud Md. Arafat , Subrina Samia 
Published: April 2017

AbstractWe have developed a 2‐dimensional analytical model to study the subthreshold swing and channel conductance of a gate and channel engineered double gate MOSFET. Basic diffusion equation has been considered to model the drain to source current of the device in subthreshold region and expressions of the device parameters like subthreshold swing and channel conductance have been derived. Subthreshold swing variations of the device with varied materials, channel, and effective oxide layer thickness and channel length have also been investigated. Changes in subthreshold swing owing to different doping profile concentrations have been explored. Effect of similar device parameters on the channel conductance of the device has been examined as well. Another important observation of the work is the pseudo flat band condition of the device structure based on the intersecting point of body potentials of the device at different thickness of the channel. The analytical results of the proposed model have been validated with the numerical results from commercially available 2‐dimensional device simulator.
Chemical and optical characterization of white efflorescences on dry fermented sausages under modified atmosphere packaging
Authors: Walz Felix H , Gibis Monika , Herrmann Kurt , Hinrichs Jörg , Weiss Jochen 
Published: April 2017

AbstractBACKGROUNDDry fermented sausages that are packed under modified atmosphere are often affected by the formation of white crystals on the surface. These so called efflorescences are rejected by consumers and lead to high financial losses for the meat processing industry. In this study, the distribution of efflorescence‐causing components was investigated over the sausage profile during 8 weeks of storage under modified atmosphere at 4 °C. In addition, two visual methods (image and sensory analyses) were compared regarding the ability to quantify the efflorescence content.RESULTSThe initial formation of efflorescences was observed after 2 weeks (7%). After 4 weeks of storage, 23.4% of the sausage surface was covered with efflorescences, and the amount of efflorescences did not change significantly by the end of storage. Furthermore, chemical analyses revealed that magnesium (increased by 98.1%), lactate (increased by 54.2%) and creatine (increased by 51.8%) are enriched on the sausage surface during storage.CONCLUSIONSensory and image analyses lead to comparable results (r = 0.992) and therefore both are suitable to quantify the amount of efflorescences. The moisture gradient in the interior of the sausages which is built upon drying is supposed to be the driving force for the movement of efflorescence‐causing compounds. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Protein efficiency in intensive dairy production: a Swedish example
Authors: Swensson Christian , Lindmark‐Månsson Helena , Smedman Annika , Henriksson Maria , Modin Edman Anna‐Karin 
Published: April 2017

AbstractBACKGROUNDAnimal agriculture has been criticised in terms of its sustainability from several perspectives. Ruminants such as dairy cows can transform inedible, low‐quality protein in roughage and by‐products from the food industry into the high‐quality protein found in milk and meat. Evaluation of the protein conversion efficiency of dairy production from a sustainability and resource perspective must be based on the proportion of the animal feed edible to humans. A relevant metric is thus edible feed protein conversion ratio (eFPCR), i.e. human‐edible protein output in cow's milk per unit human‐edible protein input in feed. In this study, eFPCR was calculated for five regionally adapted and realistic feed rations fed to Swedish dairy cows producing different annual milk yields typical for high‐yielding, intensive dairy production.RESULTSAll scenarios except one showed a protein efficiency ratio of >1 for human‐edible protein. Thus, depending on the composition of their diet, most Swedish dairy cows can convert human‐inedible protein into edible, high‐value protein. However, higher milk yield led to a decrease in eFPCR, regardless of diet.CONCLUSIONDairy cows in high‐yielding, intensive production systems such as those used in Sweden have the capacity to convert low‐value inedible protein into high‐value edible protein. However, a minor part of the dairy cow diet is edible for humans and this fraction must be minimised to justify dairy production. These results are in line with previous findings on protein conversion efficiency and add scientific input to the debate on sustainable food systems and sustainable diets. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Cetylpyridinium chloride functionalized silica‐coated magnetite microspheres for the solid‐phase extraction and pre‐concentration of ochratoxin A from environmental water samples with high‐performance liquid chromatographic analysis
Authors: Hu Meihua , Huang Pengcheng , Suo Lili , Wu Fangying 
Published: April 2017

A new method based on cetylpyridinium chloride coated ferroferric oxide/silica magnetic microspheres as an efficient solid‐phase adsorbent was developed for the extraction and enrichment of ochratoxin A. The determination of ochratoxin A was obtained by high‐performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. In the presence of cetylpyridinium chloride, the adsorption capacity of ferroferric oxide/silica microspheres was 5.95 mg/g for ochratoxin A. The experimental parameters were optimized, including the amounts of ferroferric oxide/silica microspheres (20 mg) and cetylpyridinium chloride (0.18 mL, 0.5 mg/mL), pH value of media (9), ultrasonic time (5 min), elution solvent and volume [2(1 + 1) mL (washed twice, 1 mL each time) 1% acetic acid acetonitrile]. Under optimal experiment conditions, ochratoxin A had good linearity in the range of 2.5–250.0 ng/L in water samples with correlation coefficient of the calibration curve 0.9995. The limit of detection for ochratoxin A was 0.83 ng/L, and the recoveries were 89.8–96.8% with the relative standard deviation of 1.5–3.5% in environmental water samples. Furthermore, ferroferric oxide/silica microspheres show excellent reusability during extraction procedures for no less than six times.
Simultaneous determination of pyrametostrobin and its two metabolites in cucumber and soil using a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method with HPLC–MS/MS
Authors: Huang Chengtian , Zhu He , Yu Yang , Ding Qi , Jia Fuyan , Zhao Bochui , Wei Siyuan , Gong Dangsheng , Xu Weichang , Ji Mingshan 
Published: April 2017

An easy, effective and sensitive analytical method for the simultaneous determination of a novel fungicide pyrametostrobin and its two metabolites pyrametostrobin‐M1 and pyrametostrobin‐M2 in cucumber and soil was developed using a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method with high‐performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. The extraction solvent was acetonitrile, and cleanup sorbents were primary secondary amine and graphitized carbon black for cucumber samples and primary secondary amine for soil samples. The three target compounds were successfully separated between 3.2 and 3.9 min using a Waters CORTECS™ C18 column connected to an electrospray ionization source. All the matrix‐matched samples at three fortified levels (10, 100 and 1000 μg/kg) provided satisfactory recoveries in the range of 78.8–93.8% with relative standard deviations below 6.9%. The limits of quantitation for the three compounds were below 0.183 μg/kg. The proposed method was validated by analyzing real samples.
The case for lethal control of gulls on seabird colonies
Authors: Scopel Lauren C. , Diamond Antony W. 
Published: April 2017

ABSTRACTLethal control of wildlife represents an ethical concern for managers, exacerbated by a lack of replicated or controlled data for most taxa or regions. The Gulf of Maine (GOM) has a history of intensive lethal and nonlethal predator control to protect terns (Sterna spp.) from inflated populations of predatory gulls, especially herring (Larus argentatus) and great black‐backed gulls (L. marinus; large gulls). We described management strategies in the GOM, reviewed methods of nonlethal and lethal types of control, and compared the effectiveness of 3 control regimes (lethal, nonlethal‐only, and no control) using weighted means of reproductive success metrics for 4 tern species. Nonlethal‐only control is the least effective method of predator control; lethal control is consistently the most effective. Arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea) were the most susceptible to predation, whereas common terns (Sterna hirundo) were the most resilient. We concluded that targeted lethal control is necessary in the GOM to protect tern colonies from depredation and nesting exclusion by large gulls, and cannot be substituted with nonlethal control. Cessation of lethal control leads to abandonment of tern colonies within 6–7 years, but resumption of appropriately timed lethal control can lead to recolonization the same year. A combination of nonlethal and lethal methods can minimize the number of gulls taken. We recommend that any application of lethal control carefully considers the local needs of any target species and recognizes the need for spatial and temporal commitment. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.
Vertical distributions and diurnal variations of high‐molecular‐weight dissolved arsenic in the oligotrophic ocean
Authors: Lee Chih‐Ping , Cheng Chia‐Yu , Wen Liang‐Saw 
Published: April 2017

AbstractArsenic (As) has long been recognized as an environmental toxicant. Its biogeochemical cycling in the ocean is often linked to that of phosphorus (P), whose dynamics may affect the efficiency of the marine carbon pump as it relates to CO2 absorption from the atmosphere. The chemical behavior of inorganic arsenate is similar to that of phosphate, and it is also taken up by phytoplankton or bacterioplankton in parallel with phosphate. This absorbed As is then metabolized into arsenite or methylated As and expelled through detoxification processes. However, in surface waters of the oligotrophic ocean where dissolved P is predominantly in organic forms, the regeneration and recycling processes of As remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate the first depth profiles of high‐molecular‐weight (HMW, 1 kDa‐0.4 μm) As and dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) in oligotrophic waters and their short‐term variations in the euphotic zone. HMW‐As constituted 21% ± 8% of dissolved As, whereas the high‐molecular‐weight dissolved organic phosphorus (HMW‐DOP) decreased from 74% of the total DOP at the surface to 35% at a 200 m depth. Concurrent variations of HMW‐As and HMW‐DOP in the upper euphotic zone were identified for the first time. This also provides new evidence from direct observation supporting the size‐reactivity continuum model. These temporal changes may result from light‐driven enhancement of photoheterotrophy. Overall, our results highlight the contribution of microbes to the production and assimilation of HMW materials and signify their importance in marine As and P cycles.
Receding horizon control for discrete‐time multiple input delay systems
Authors: Gao Rong , Liu Xiaohua , Zhang Huanshui 
Published: April 2017

SummaryThis paper is concerned with stabilization problem for discrete‐time systems with multiple input delay. By defining a new cost function, the stabilization condition is derived based on monotonically nonincreasing of the optimal cost. It is shown that if the 2 weighting matrices in the cost function satisfy the given linear matrix inequality, receding horizon controller can stabilize the input delay systems. Moreover, the explicit stabilization controller with the new cost function is obtained by solving a finite horizon optimal control problem. A numerical example illustrates the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Polymeric 1H MRI Probes for Visualizing Tumor In Vivo
Authors: Kondo Teruyuki , Kimura Yu , Yamada Hisatsugu , Aoyama Yasuhiro 
Published: April 2017

AbstractMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become a prominent non– or low–invasive imaging technique, providing high–resolution, three–dimensional images as well as physiological information about tissues. Low–molecular–weight Gd–MRI contrast agents (CAs), such as Gd–DTPA (DTPA: diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid), are commonly used in the clinical diagnosis, while macromolecular Gd–MRI CAs have several advantages over low–molecular–weight Gd–MRI CAs, which help minimize the dose of CAs and the risk of side effects. Accordingly, we developed chiral dendrimer Gd–MRI CAs, which showed high r1 values. The association constant values (Ka) of S–isomeric dendrimer CAs to bovine serum albumin (BSA) were higher than those of R–isomeric dendrimer CAs. Besides, based on a totally new concept, we developed 13C/15N–enriched multiple–resonance NMR/MRI probes, which realized highly selective observation of the probes and analysis of metabolic reactions of interest. This account summarizes our recent study on developing both chiral dendrimer Gd–MRI CAs, and self–traceable 13C/15N–enriched phosphorylcholine polymer probes for early detection of tumors.
Elucidation of Biosynthetic Pathways of Natural Products
Authors: Kishimoto Shinji , Tsunematsu Yuta , Sato Michio , Watanabe Kenji 
Published: April 2017

AbstractDuring the last decade, we have revealed biosynthetic pathways responsible for the formation of important and chemically complex natural products isolated from various organisms through genetic manipulation. Detailed in vivo and in vitro characterizations enabled elucidation of unexpected mechanisms of secondary metabolite biosynthesis. This personal account focuses on our recent efforts in identifying the genes responsible for the biosynthesis of spirotryprostatin, aspoquinolone, Sch 210972, pyranonigrin, fumagillin and pseurotin. We exploit heterologous reconstitution of biosynthetic pathways of interest in our study. In particular, extensive involvement of oxidation reactions is discussed. Heterologous hosts employed here are Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus nidulans and A. niger that can also be used to prepare biosynthetic intermediates and product analogs by engineering the biosynthetic pathways using the knowledge obtained by detailed characterizations of the enzymes. (998 char.)
Improving design decomposition (extended version)
Authors: Faitelson David , Tyszberowicz Shmuel 
Published: April 2017

AbstractDecomposing a system into subsystems is essential to the design of large software systems. Traditionally, it is performed intuitively without rigorously analyzing the system model. This makes it difficult to check the decomposition correctness, and risks creating subsystems that are either too tightly coupled or not cohesive enough. An aggravating factor is that traditionally classes are the atomic design units. In many cases, however, the same classes play a role in more than one subsystem, and partitioning them unbroken among the subsystems may increase coupling and reduce cohesion. We present an analytical approach that enables reasoning about early exploration of decomposition alternatives. In addition, we describe a visual notation for diagramming the composition of subsystems, and an automatic technique for suggesting good decompositions. A key to our approach is that individual relations, not classes, are the atomic design units. We illustrate the approach with examples and demonstrate its effectiveness on a commercial system. This paper is an extended version of previous work.
Integral Means Spectrum of Whole-Plane SLE
Authors: Beliaev Dmitry , Duplantier Bertrand , Zinsmeister Michel 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
We complete the mathematical analysis of the fine structure of harmonic measure on SLE curves that was initiated in Beliaev and Smirnov (Commun Math Phys 290(2):577–595, 2009), as described by the averaged integral means spectrum. For the unbounded version of whole-plane SLE as studied in Duplantier et al. (Ann Henri Poincaré 16(6):1311–1395, 2014. arXiv:1211.2451) and Loutsenko and Yermolayeva (J Stat Mech P04007, 2013), a phase transition has been shown to occur for high enough moments from the bulk spectrum towards a novel spectrum related to the point at infinity. For the bounded version of whole-plane SLE of Beliaev and Smirnov, a similar transition phenomenon, now associated with the SLE origin, is proved to exist for low enough moments, but we show that it is superseded by the earlier occurrence of the transition to the SLE tip spectrum.
Preoperative Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) Score for Assessment of Prognosis Following Hepatectomy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Takagi Kosei , Yagi Takahito , Umeda Yuzo , Shinoura Susumu , Yoshida Ryuichi , Nobuoka Daisuke , Kuise Takashi , Araki Hiroyuki , Fujiwara Toshiyoshi 
Published: April 2017

AbstractBackgroundImmune‐nutritional status has been recently reported as a prognostic factor in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score has been established as a useful tool to evaluate immune‐nutritional status. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of the CONUT score as a prognostic factor in patients undergoing hepatectomy for HCC.MethodsA total of 295 patients who underwent curative hepatectomy for HCC between January 2007 and December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according to the CONUT score. The impact of the CONUT score on clinicopathological, surgical, and long‐term outcomes was evaluated. Subsequently, the impact of prognostic factors, including the CONUT score, associated with outcomes was assessed using multivariate analyses.ResultsOf 295 patients, 118 (40%) belonged to the high CONUT group (CONUT score ≥ 3). The high CONUT group had a significantly lower 5‐year recurrence‐free survival rate than the low CONUT group (27.9 vs. 41.4%, p = 0.011) and a significantly lower 5‐year overall survival rate (61.9 vs. 74.9%, p = 0.006). In multivariate analyses of prognostic factors, the CONUT score was an independent predictor of recurrence‐free survival (hazard ratio = 1.64, p = 0.006) and overall survival (hazard ratio = 2.50, p = 0.001).ConclusionsThe CONUT score is a valuable preoperative predictor of survival in patients undergoing hepatectomy for HCC.
Network Analysis Reveals a Signaling Regulatory Loop in the PIK3CA-Mutated Breast Cancer Predicting Survival Outcome
Authors: McGee Shauna R. , Tibiche Chabane , Trifiro Mark , Wang Edwin 
Published: April 2017

Abstract
Mutated genes are rarely common even in the same pathological type between cancer patients and as such, it has been very challenging to interpret genome sequencing data and difficult to predict clinical outcomes. PIK3CA is one of a few genes whose mutations are relatively popular in tumors. For example, more than 46.6% of luminal-A breast cancer samples have PIK3CA mutated, whereas only 35.5% of all breast cancer samples contain PIK3CA mutations. To understand the function of PIK3CA mutations in luminal A breast cancer, we applied our recently-proposed Cancer Hallmark Network Framework to investigate the network motifs in the PIK3CA-mutated luminal A tumors. We found that more than 70% of the PIK3CA-mutated luminal A tumors contain a positive regulatory loop where a master regulator (PDGF-D), a second regulator (FLT1) and an output node (SHC1) work together. Importantly, we found the luminal A breast cancer patients harboring the PIK3CA mutation and this positive regulatory loop in their tumors have significantly longer survival than those harboring PIK3CA mutation only in their tumors. These findings suggest that the underlying molecular mechanism of PIK3CA mutations in luminal A patients can participate in a positive regulatory loop, and furthermore the positive regulatory loop (PDGF-D/FLT1/SHC1) has a predictive power for the survival of the PIK3CA-mutated luminal A patients.