bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Using demographic characteristics of populations to detect spatial fragmentation following suspected ebola outbreaks in great apes
Authors: Genton Céline , Cristescu Romane , Gatti Sylvain , Levréro Florence , Bigot Elodie , Motsch Peggy , Le Gouar Pascaline , Pierre Jean‐Sébastien , Ménard Nelly 
Published: June 2017

AbstractObjectivesDemographic crashes due to emerging diseases can contribute to population fragmentation and increase extinction risk of small populations. Ebola outbreaks in 2002–2004 are suspected to have caused a decline of more than 80% in some Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) populations. We investigated whether demographic indicators of this event allowed for the detection of spatial fragmentation in gorilla populations.Materials and MethodsWe collected demographic data from two neighbouring populations: the Lokoué population, suspected to have been affected by an Ebola outbreak (followed from 2001 to 2014), and the Romani population, of unknown demographic status before Ebola outbreaks (followed from 2005 to 2014).ResultsTen years after the outbreak, the Lokoué population is slowly recovering and the short‐term demographic indicators of a population crash were no longer detectable. The Lokoué population has not experienced any additional demographic perturbation over the past decade. The Romani population did not show any of the demographic indicators of a population crash over the past decade. Its demographic structure remained similar to that of unaffected populations.DiscussionOur results highlighted that the Ebola disease could contribute to fragmentation of gorilla populations due to the spatially heterogeneous impact of its outbreaks. The demographic structure of populations (i.e., age‐sex and group structure) can be useful indicators of a possible occurrence of recent Ebola outbreaks in populations without known history, and may be more broadly used in other emerging disease/species systems. Longitudinal data are critical to our understanding of the impact of emerging diseases on wild populations and their conservation.
Structure of Human Tyrosinase Related Protein 1 Reveals a Binuclear Zinc Active Site Important for Melanogenesis
Authors: Lai Xuelei , Wichers Harry J. , Soler‐Lopez Montserrat , Dijkstra Bauke W. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractTyrosinase‐related protein 1 (TYRP1) is one of three tyrosinase‐like glycoenzymes in human melanocytes that are key to the production of melanin, the compound responsible for the pigmentation of skin, eye, and hair. Difficulties with producing these enzymes in pure form have hampered the understanding of their activity and the effect of mutations that cause albinism and pigmentation disorders. Herein we show that the typical tyrosinase‐like subdomain of TYRP1 contains two zinc ions in the active site instead of copper ions as found in tyrosinases, which explains why TYRP1 does not exhibit tyrosinase redox activity. In addition, the structures reveal for the first time that the Cys‐rich subdomain, which is unique to vertebrate melanogenic proteins, has an epidermal growth factor‐like fold and is tightly associated with the tyrosinase subdomain. Our structures suggest that most albinism‐related mutations of TYRP1 affect its stability or activity.
Analysis of the performance of polysaccharide membranes in aqueous media as a tool to assist wound‐dressing selection
Authors: Bombaldi de Souza Renata Francielle , Bombaldi de Souza Fernanda Carla , Moraes Ângela Maria 
Published: June 2017

ABSTRACTThe behavior of hydrophilic matrixes in the presence of aqueous media plays a pivotal role in the selection of materials that come into contact with body fluids. Because polysaccharides have proven benefits in the treatment of skin lesions, the performance of membranes produced with chitosan combined with alginate [chitosan–alginate (Ch–A)], xanthan [chitosan–xanthan (Ch–X)], or guar gum [chitosan–guar gum (Ch–G)] after exposure to different aqueous solutions and humidity levels was analyzed with the aim of directing their applications as dressings in wounds with different exudate productions. The Ch–X membranes presented a high fluid‐uptake capacity and water‐vapor transmission rate (WVTR); this was attributed to ramifications in the xanthan structure, and the membranes were then recommended for moderately to highly exuding wounds. The Ch–G membranes showed a dense structure and presented low fluid‐uptake capacity; they were more appropriate for low‐exuding wounds or wounds in the advanced stage of cicatrization. Both the Ch–A and Ch–G membranes presented adequate mechanical properties in a wide range of relative humidity conditions and could be considered suitable for use in all body parts. However, as the Ch–A formulation showed limited WVTR, its use should be restrictedly to, at most, moderately exuding wounds. In all cases, the assessment of the wound type by a professional would be required to define the final dressing formulation. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2017,134, 45386.
Prolidase is a critical enzyme for complete gliadin digestion in Tenebrio molitor larvae
Authors: Tereshchenkova Valeriia F. , Goptar Irina A. , Zhuzhikov Dmitry P. , Belozersky Mikhail A. , Dunaevsky Yakov E. , Oppert Brenda , Filippova Irina Yu. , Elpidina Elena N. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractProlidase is a proline‐specific metallopeptidase that cleaves imidodipeptides with C‐terminal Pro residue. Prolidase was purified and characterized from the Tenebrio molitor larval midgut. The enzyme was localized in the soluble fraction of posterior midgut tissues, corresponding to a predicted cytoplasmic localization of prolidase according to the structure of the mRNA transcript. Expression of genes encoding prolidase and the major digestive proline‐specific peptidase (PSP)—dipeptidyl peptidase 4—were similar. The pH optimum of T. molitor prolidase was 7.5, and the enzyme was inhibited by Z‐Pro, indicating that it belongs to type I prolidases. In mammals, prolidase is particularly important in the catabolism of a proline‐rich protein—collagen. We propose that T. molitor larval prolidase is a critical enzyme for the final stages of digestion of dietary proline‐rich gliadins, providing hydrolysis of imidodipeptides in the cytoplasm of midgut epithelial cells. We propose that the products of hydrolysis are absorbed from the luminal contents by peptide transporters, which we have annotated in the T. molitor larval gut transcriptome. The origin of prolidase substrates in the insect midgut is discussed in the context of overall success of grain feeding insects.
Design and Control Comparison of Alternative Separation Methods for n‐Heptane/Isobutanol
Authors: Luyben William L. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThe binary mixture of n‐heptane and isobutanol forms an azeotrope at atmospheric pressure, with a composition of 66.9 mol % n‐heptane and a temperature of 364 K. Several methods of separation are possible. This study compares the steady‐state economics and the dynamic controllability of three alternative separation techniques: a two‐column extractive distillation process, a two‐column pressure‐swing distillation process, and a single column with a refrigerated condenser.
Depressive symptoms predict cancer caregivers' physical health decline
Authors: Shaffer Kelly M. , Kim Youngmee , Carver Charles S. , Cannady Rachel S. 
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUNDCancer caregiving has been associated with worsening health among caregivers themselves, yet demographic and psychosocial predictors of their long‐term health decline are less known. This study examines changes in caregivers' physical health 2 to 8 years after their family members' cancer diagnosis and prospective predictors of that change.METHODSCaregivers (n = 664; mean age, 53.2 years) participated in a nationwide study at 2 (T1), 5 (T2), and 8 (T3) years after their family members' cancer diagnosis. Physical health (12‐item Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey Physical Component Scale) was assessed T1 through T3 as outcome. Predictors were self‐reported at T1, including caregiver demographics (age, sex, education, income, relationship to patient, and employment status), patient cancer severity (from medical records), and caregiver psychosocial factors (caregiving stress, caregiving esteem, social support, and depressive symptoms). Latent growth modeling tested predictors of caregivers' initial physical health and their physical health change across time.RESULTSAt T1, caregivers reported slightly better physical health than the US population (M = 51.22, P = .002), which declined over the following 6 years (Mslope = −0.27, P < .001). All demographic factors, patient cancer severity, and T1 caregiving stress were related to caregivers' initial physical health (P ≤ .03). Higher depressive symptoms were unrelated to caregivers' initial physical health, but were the only significant predictor of caregivers' more rapid physical health decline (B = −0.02, P = .004).CONCLUSIONFindings highlight the unique contribution of caregivers' depressive symptoms to their physical health decline. Assessing and addressing depressive symptoms among caregivers early in the cancer survivorship trajectory may help to prevent premature health decline among this important yet vulnerable population. Cancer 2017;123:4277–4285. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
A multicenter, phase 3, randomized trial of concurrent chemoradiotherapy plus adjuvant chemotherapy versus radiotherapy alone in patients with regionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: 10‐year outcomes for efficacy and toxicity
Authors: Lee Anne W. M. , Tung Stewart Y. , Ng Wai Tong , Lee Victor , Ngan Roger K. C. , Choi Horace C. W. , Chan Lucy L. K. , Siu Lillian L. , Ng Alice W. Y. , Leung To Wai , Yiu Harry H. Y. , O'Sullivan Brian , Chappell Rick 
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUNDConcurrent‐adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) became a recommended treatment for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with the first report of a significant survival benefit from the Intergroup 0099 study. However, data on late toxicities are lacking. Previous reports from the current NPC‐9901 trial have raised concerns about a failure to improve overall survival (OS) because of an inadequate impact on distant control and increases in toxicities/noncancer deaths. Validation of the long‐term therapeutic ratio is needed.METHODSIn this phase 3, randomized trial, patients with nonkeratinizing NPC (stage T1‐4/N2‐3/M0) were randomly assigned to radiotherapy alone (176 patients) or to CRT (172 patients) with concurrent cisplatin followed by adjuvant cisplatin plus fluorouracil.RESULTSThe early findings of significant improvements in tumor control were maintained: the CRT group achieved significantly higher 10‐year overall failure‐free (62% vs 50%; P = .01) and progression‐free survival rates (56% vs 42%; P = .006) because of superior locoregional control (87% vs 74%; P = .003), whereas the impact on distant control remained insignificant (68% vs 65%; P = .24). The initial differences in toxicities diminished with longer follow‐up: 52% versus 47% at 10 years for late toxicities (P = .20), 4.1% versus 2.8% for deaths due to treatment toxicity, and 15.1% versus 13.1% for deaths due to incidental/unknown causes. The OS rate for the CRT group reached statistical superiority at 10 years (62% vs 49%; P = .047).CONCLUSIONSLong‐term results have confirmed that CRT can significantly improve OS without excessive late toxicities for patients with regionally advanced NPC. However, more potent therapy is needed for improving distant control, especially for patients with stage IVA/B disease. Cancer 2017;123:4147–4157. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Cost effectiveness of regorafenib as second‐line therapy for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Parikh Neehar D. , Singal Amit G. , Hutton David W. 
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUNDRegorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor, has demonstrated prolonged survival by 2.8 months as a second‐line agent in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who progress on sorafenib therapy. The objective of the current study was to examine the cost effectiveness of regorafenib for the treatment of HCC.METHODSThe authors constructed a Markov simulation model of patients with unresectable HCC and Child‐Pugh A cirrhosis who received treatment with regorafenib versus best supportive care. Model inputs for regorafenib effectiveness and rates of adverse events in patients with HCC were based on published clinical trial data and literature review. Quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs) were calculated along with the incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) of regorafenib therapy. One‐way sensitivity analyses also were conducted simultaneously on all model parameters and on various Monte‐Carlo simulation parameters, and the regorafenib cost threshold at which cost effectiveness would be achieved was determined.RESULTSRegorafenib provided an increase of 0.18 QALYs at a cost of $47,112. The ICER for regorafenib, compared with best supportive care, was $224,362. In 1‐way sensitivity analyses, there were no scenarios in which regorafenib was cost effective. In cost threshold analysis, regorafenib would have to be priced at or below $67 per pill to be cost effective at an ICER of $100,000.CONCLUSIONSRegorafenib is not cost effective as a second‐line agent in the treatment of HCC, with a marginal increase in QALYs at a high cost. Lowering the cost of regorafenib or improving the selection of patients who can achieve maximal survival benefit would improve its value as a second‐line treatment option for patients with HCC. Cancer 2017;123:3725–3731. © 2017 American Cancer Society
Green Processing of Lignocellulosic Biomass and Its Derivatives in Deep Eutectic Solvents
Authors: Tang Xing , Zuo Miao , Li Zheng , Liu Huai , Xiong Caixia , Zeng Xianhai , Sun Yong , Hu Lei , Liu Shijie , Lei Tingzhou , Lin Lu 
Published: June 2017

AbstractInvited for this month′s cover is the BCCL group led by Prof. Lu Lin at Xiamen University. The image shows the fractionation of lignocellulose into its individual components (including cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) and the conversion of these biopolymers into their derivatives in deep eutectic solvents. The Review itself is available at 10.1002/cssc.201700457.
A power balancing method of distributed generation and electric vehicle charging for minimizing operation cost of distribution systems with uncertainties
Authors: Wu Jiekang , Wu Zhishan , Wu Fan , Mao Xiaoming 
Published: June 2017

AbstractA power balancing method of distributed generation (DG) and electric vehicle charging is presented for minimizing operation costs of distribution systems with uncertainties, which includes the uncertainties in output power of DG and the randomness of charging power of electric vehicles (EV). A probability model is established for the uncertain characteristics of DG and electric vehicle charging. A multi‐state optimization coordination method for DG of renewable energy systems and electric vehicle charging in distribution systems based on quadratic rotation cone programming is presented to minimize the expected generation cost of generators in the main power grid, the expected operation cost of DG systems in distribution systems, and the expected social outage loss. An objective function maximizing the operation efficiency of distribution systems with DGs and EVs is proposed. Using quadratic rotated conic programming, the nonlinear objective function and constraint functions are transformed into a linear form. An IEEE 14‐node distribution system is used as a study example to illustrate adaptability of the proposed model and the feasibility of the proposed method. The simulation results show that the proposed method simplifies the original problem of the optimization problem and makes its solution faster, more stable, and better.
Mineral composition of Tamarindus indica LINN (tamarind) pulp and seeds from different agro‐ecological zones of Uganda
Authors: Okello Jaspher , Okullo John B. L. , Eilu Gerald , Nyeko Philip , Obua Joseph 
Published: June 2017

AbstractMineral composition of dry Tamarindus indica LINN pulp and seeds was evaluated on samples collected from three different agro‐ecological zones of Uganda (Lake Victoria Crescent, and Eastern and West Nile). The objective of the study was to evaluate the mineral composition of T. indica pulp and seed samples from across Uganda's different agro‐ecological zones and land use types. Separately grounded samples of T. indica pulp and seeds were analyzed for Zn, Fe, Mg, P, Na, K, and Ca. The univariate analysis of variance in the General Linear Model was used to compare differences in mineral composition. Treatment means were separated using Least Significant Difference (LSD) in Post Hoc Tests. The results showed that there were significant differences (p ≤ 0.005) in mineral composition levels of T. indica pulp and seed samples between the different agro‐ecological zones with the exception of P and Na (for pulp). The T. indica pulp and seeds samples from the Lake Victoria Crescent zone and wild land use type had generally higher mineral levels than T. indica samples from other agro‐ecological zones and different land use types. As mineral composition levels were generally higher in the seed than the pulp samples, consumption of T. indica seeds should be promoted. There is also need to conserve individual species both on‐farm and in the wild population, but T. indica mineral concentrations (both pulp and seeds) were higher in the samples from the wild population, making them good for human and animal diets.
Sensory processes modulate differences in multi‐component behavior and cognitive control between childhood and adulthood
Authors: Gohil Krutika , Bluschke Annet , Roessner Veit , Stock Ann‐Kathrin , Beste Christian 
Published: June 2017

AbstractMany everyday tasks require executive functions to achieve a certain goal. Quite often, this requires the integration of information derived from different sensory modalities. Children are less likely to integrate information from different modalities and, at the same time, also do not command fully developed executive functions, as compared to adults. Yet still, the role of developmental age‐related effects on multisensory integration processes has not been examined within the context of multicomponent behavior until now (i.e., the concatenation of different executive subprocesses). This is problematic because differences in multisensory integration might actually explain a significant amount of the developmental effects that have traditionally been attributed to changes in executive functioning. In a system, neurophysiological approach combining electroencephaloram (EEG) recordings and source localization analyses, we therefore examined this question. The results show that differences in how children and adults accomplish multicomponent behavior do not solely depend on developmental differences in executive functioning. Instead, the observed developmental differences in response selection processes (reflected by the P3 ERP) were largely dependent on the complexity of integrating temporally separated stimuli from different modalities. This effect was related to activation differences in medial frontal and inferior parietal cortices. Primary perceptual gating or attentional selection processes (P1 and N1 ERPs) were not affected. The results show that differences in multisensory integration explain parts of transformations in cognitive processes between childhood and adulthood that have traditionally been attributed to changes in executive functioning, especially when these require the integration of multiple modalities during response selection. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4933–4945, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Spectroscopic investigation of the effects of aqueous‐phase prepared CdTe quantum dots on protein hemoglobin at the molecular level
Authors: Guo Dandan , Liu Rutao 
Published: June 2017

Abstract3‐Mercaptopropionic Acid‐modified CdTe quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized and characterized by infrared, fluorescence, and ultraviolet–visible absorption spectra and Nano‐ZetaSizer measurements. Then the interaction between QDs and hemoglobin was studied to investigate the effects of QDs on the structure and function of hemoglobin by using a variety of spectroscopy methods and isothermal titration calorimetry. The results showed van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding predominantly played major roles in the binding. The intrinsic fluorescence of hemoglobin was quenched with changes to the microenvironment of tyrosine and tryptophan residues and complex conformational changes of hemoglobin were induced with the loosening and unfolding skeleton. However, the heme in hemoglobin was still stable, indicating that the main physiological function of hemoglobin might not be significantly inhibited. This study will provide a new strategy to study the biological toxicity of QDs at the molecular level.
N‐linked glycosylation of a subunit isoforms is critical for vertebrate vacuolar H+‐ATPase (V‐ATPase) biosynthesis
Authors: Esmail Sally , Kartner Norbert , Yao Yeqi , Kim Joo Wan , Reithmeier Reinhart A.F. , Manolson Morris F. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThe a subunit of the V0 membrane‐integrated sector of human V‐ATPase has four isoforms, a1‐a4, with diverse and crucial functions in health and disease. They are encoded by four conserved paralogous genes, and their vertebrate orthologs have positionally conserved N‐glycosylation sequons within the second extracellular loop, EL2, of the a subunit membrane domain. Previously, we have shown directly that the predicted sequon for the a4 isoform is indeed N‐glycosylated. Here we extend our investigation to the other isoforms by transiently transfecting HEK 293 cells to express cDNA constructs of epitope‐tagged human a1‐a3 subunits, with or without mutations that convert Asn to Gln at putative N‐glycosylation sites. Expression and N‐glycosylation were characterized by immunoblotting and mobility shifts after enzymatic deglycosylation, and intracellular localization was determined using immunofluorescence microscopy. All unglycosylated mutants, where predicted N‐glycosylation sites had been eliminated by sequon mutagenesis, showed increased relative mobility on immunoblots, identical to what was seen for wild‐type a subunits after enzymatic deglycosylation. Cycloheximide‐chase experiments showed that unglycosylated subunits were turned over at a higher rate than N‐glycosylated forms by degradation in the proteasomal pathway. Immunofluorescence colocalization analysis showed that unglycosylated a subunits were retained in the ER, and co‐immunoprecipitation studies showed that they were unable to associate with the V‐ATPase assembly chaperone, VMA21. Taken together with our previous a4 subunit studies, these observations show that N‐glycosylation is crucial in all four human V‐ATPase a subunit isoforms for protein stability and ultimately for functional incorporation into V‐ATPase complexes.