bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Crop rotations for increased soil carbon: perenniality as a guiding principle
Authors: King Alison E. , Blesh Jennifer 
Published: November 2017

AbstractMore diverse crop rotations have been promoted for their potential to remediate the range of ecosystem services compromised by biologically simplified grain‐based agroecosystems, including increasing soil organic carbon (SOC). We hypothesized that functional diversity offers a more predictive means of characterizing the impact of crop rotations on SOC concentrations than species diversity per se. Furthermore, we hypothesized that functional diversity can either increase or decrease SOC depending on its associated carbon (C) input to soil. We compiled a database of 27 cropping system sites and 169 cropping systems, recorded the species and functional diversity of crop rotations, SOC concentrations (g C kg/soil), nitrogen (N) fertilizer applications (kg N·ha−1·yr−1), and estimated C input to soil (Mg C·ha−1·yr−1). We categorized crop rotations into three broad categories: grain‐only rotations, grain rotations with cover crops, and grain rotations with perennial crops. We divided the grain‐only rotations into two sub‐categories: cereal‐only rotations and those that included both cereals and a legume grain. We compared changes in SOC and C input using mean effect sizes and 95% bootstrapped confidence intervals. Cover cropped and perennial cropped rotations, relative to grain‐only rotations, increased C input by 42% and 23% and SOC concentrations by 6.3% and 12.5%, respectively. Within grain‐only rotations, cereal + legume grain rotations decreased total C input (−16%), root C input (−12%), and SOC (−5.3%) relative to cereal‐only rotations. We found no effect of species diversity on SOC within grain‐only rotations. N fertilizer rates mediated the effect of functional diversity on SOC within grain‐only crop rotations: at low N fertilizer rates (≤75 kg N·ha−1·yr−1), the decrease in SOC with cereal + legume grain rotations was less than at high N fertilizer rates. Our results show that increasing the functional diversity of crop rotations is more likely to increase SOC concentrations if it is accompanied by an increase in C input. Functionally diverse perennial and cover cropped rotations increased both C input and SOC concentrations, potentially by exploiting niches in time that would otherwise be unproductive, that is, increasing the “perenniality” of crop rotations.
The more the merrier: Conspecific density improves performance of gregarious larvae and reduces susceptibility to a pupal parasitoid
Authors: Rosa Elena , van Nouhuys Saskya , Saastamoinen Marjo 
Published: November 2017

AbstractAggregation can confer advantages in animal foraging, defense, and thermoregulation. There is a tight connection between the evolution of insect sociality and a highly effective immune system, presumably to inhibit rapid disease spread in a crowded environment. This connection is less evident for animals that spend only part of their life cycle in a social environment, such as noneusocial gregarious insects. Our aim was to elucidate the effects of group living by the gregarious larvae of the Glanville fritillary butterfly with respect to individual performance, immunity, and susceptibility to a parasitoid. We were also interested in the role of family relative to common postdiapause environment in shaping life‐history traits. Larvae were reared at high or low density and then exposed to the pupal parasitoid waspPteromalus apum, either in presence or absence of a previous immune challenge that was used to measure the encapsulation immune response. Surviving adult butterflies were further tested for immunity. The wasp offspring from successfully parasitized butterfly pupae were counted and their brood sex ratios assessed. Larvae reared at high density grew larger and faster than those at low density. Despite high mortality due to parasitism, survival was greater among individuals with high pupal immunity in both density treatments. Moreover, butterfly pupae reared at high density were able to kill a larger fraction of individuals in the parasitoid broods, although this did not increase survival of the host. Finally, a larger proportion of variation observed in most of the traits was explained by butterfly family than by common postdiapause rearing environment, except for adult survival and immunity, for which this pattern was reversed. This gregarious butterfly clearly benefits from high conspecific density in terms of developmental performance and its ability to fight a parasitoid. These positive effects may be driven by cooperative interactions during feeding.
Car Noise Suppression Using Adaptive Noise Canceler with Speech Suppressors
Authors: HONDA YUYA , KAWAMURA ARATA , IIGUNI YOUJI 
Published: November 2017

SUMMARYIn this paper, we propose an adaptive noise canceler (ANC) with speech suppressors to reduce noise in car environment, where the noise consists of directional and diffuse noise signals. Although the ANC is useful for suppressing the directional noise, its capability is degraded when a desired speech signal is observed at both microphones simultaneously. Such situation is called as crosstalk. To solve this problem, we introduce two speech suppressors into the ANC, and employ one noise suppressor as a postfilter to suppress diffuse noise. Simulation results show that the proposed method effectively suppresses both of directional noise and diffuse noise.
Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles Modified Graphite Electrodes for Electrochemical DNA Detection
Authors: Erdem Arzum , Congur Gulsah 
Published: November 2017

AbstractHydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HaNP) modified pencil graphite electrodes (PGEs) were developed for the first time in the literature, and accordingly they were applied for electrochemical monitoring of sequence‐selective DNA hybridization. The experimental conditions for HaNP modification of PGE, and DNA hybridization related to Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) DNA sequence were optimized. The microscopic and electrochemical characterization of HaNP‐PGE in contrast to the unmodified one was utilized. Under optimized experimental conditions, the selectivity of HBV DNA probe immobilized biosensor was tested against to non‐complementary (NC), mismatch (MM) sequences and the mixture of target:NC (1 : 1) or target: MM (1 : 1).
The daily‐scale entrance dynamics of intermittently open/closed estuaries
Authors: McSweeney Sarah Louise , Kennedy David M. , Rutherfurd Ian D. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractIntermittently open/closed estuaries (IOCE) are a dynamic form of estuary characterised by periodic entrance closure to the ocean. Entrance closure is a function of the relative balance between on and offshore sediment transport with closures occurring during periods of low fluvial discharge whereby the estuary ebb‐tidal prism is reduced. Although the broad scale processes of entrance closure are becoming better understood, there remains limited knowledge on channel morphodynamics during an individual closure event. In this study, the entrance dynamics of three IOCE on the coast of Victoria, Australia, were monitored over a daily timescale following both artificial and natural openings. The influence of changing marine and fluvial conditions on the relative sedimentation rate within the entrance channel was examined. IOCE in Victoria showed two distinct modes of entrance closure: (a) lateral accretion, whereby the estuary gradually closes by longshore drift‐driven spit growth during low river flows; and (b) vertical accretion, where the channel rapidly aggrades under high (> 2 m), near‐normal waves. During storms, when fluvial discharge and wave heights simultaneously increase, large swells will not always close the mouth due to an increase in the ebb‐tidal prism. The estuary water depth and the maximum channel dimensions following opening were not proportional to the opening duration, with this being a function of the wave and fluvial conditions occurring following lagoon drainage. Based on the findings of this work, implementing a successful artificial entrance opening is dependent on reduced onshore sedimentation rates which occur when wave energy is low (< 2 m Hs) relative to river flow. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Insights Into Using TOEIC® Test Scores to Inform Human Resource Management Decisions
Authors: Oliveri María Elena , Tannenbaum Richard J. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThis report explores the ways in which human resource (HR) managers use TOEIC® scores to inform hiring, promotion, and training decisions in an international workplace. Two data sources were used (a) previously collected test users' testimonials that described managers' use of TOEIC scores to inform HR decisions and (b) test‐use examples collected from HR managers and TOEIC representatives specifically for this project. Our analysis of test‐use examples provided insight into how companies use TOEIC scores to inform HR decisions related to hiring, promotion, and training of employees in international businesses. To conclude, we provide suggestions for future research such as providing services to test users (e.g., assessment literacy, the development of assessments measuring additional components of workplace English, or algorithms to help analyze the various variables relevant to informing HR decisions) to continue to support meaningful and relevant score‐based HR decisions and score interpretations.
Multiethnic polygenic risk scores improve risk prediction in diverse populations
Authors: Márquez‐Luna Carla , Loh Po‐Ru ,   South Asian Type 2 Diabetes (SAT2D) Consortium,   The SIGMA Type 2 Diabetes Consortium, Price Alkes L. 
Published: November 2017

ABSTRACTMethods for genetic risk prediction have been widely investigated in recent years. However, most available training data involves European samples, and it is currently unclear how to accurately predict disease risk in other populations. Previous studies have used either training data from European samples in large sample size or training data from the target population in small sample size, but not both. Here, we introduce a multiethnic polygenic risk score that combines training data from European samples and training data from the target population. We applied this approach to predict type 2 diabetes (T2D) in a Latino cohort using both publicly available European summary statistics in large sample size (Neff = 40k) and Latino training data in small sample size (Neff = 8k). Here, we attained a >70% relative improvement in prediction accuracy (from R2 = 0.027 to 0.047) compared to methods that use only one source of training data, consistent with large relative improvements in simulations. We observed a systematically lower load of T2D risk alleles in Latino individuals with more European ancestry, which could be explained by polygenic selection in ancestral European and/or Native American populations. We predict T2D in a South Asian UK Biobank cohort using European (Neff = 40k) and South Asian (Neff = 16k) training data and attained a >70% relative improvement in prediction accuracy, and application to predict height in an African UK Biobank cohort using European (N = 113k) and African (N = 2k) training data attained a 30% relative improvement. Our work reduces the gap in polygenic risk prediction accuracy between European and non‐European target populations.
Amotivation is associated with smaller ventral striatum volumes in older patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Caravaggio Fernando , Fervaha Gagan , Iwata Yusuke , Plitman Eric , Chung Jun Ku , Nakajima Shinichiro , Mar Wanna , Gerretsen Philip , Kim Julia , Chakravarty M. Mallar , Mulsant Benoit , Pollock Bruce , Mamo David , Remington Gary , Graff‐Guerrero Ariel 
Published: November 2017

ObjectiveMotivational deficits are prevalent in patients with schizophrenia, persist despite antipsychotic treatment, and predict long‐term outcomes. Evidence suggests that patients with greater amotivation have smaller ventral striatum (VS) volumes. We wished to replicate this finding in a sample of older, chronically medicated patients with schizophrenia. Using structural imaging and positron emission tomography, we examined whether amotivation uniquely predicted VS volumes beyond the effects of striatal dopamine D2/3 receptor (D2/3R) blockade by antipsychotics.MethodsData from 41 older schizophrenia patients (mean age: 60.2 ± 6.7; 11 female) were reanalysed from previously published imaging data. We constructed multivariate linear stepwise regression models with VS volumes as the dependent variable and various sociodemographic and clinical variables as the initial predictors: age, gender, total brain volume, and antipsychotic striatal D2/3R occupancy. Amotivation was included as a subsequent step to determine any unique relationships with VS volumes beyond the contribution of the covariates. In a reduced sample (n = 36), general cognition was also included as a covariate.ResultsAmotivation uniquely explained 8% and 6% of the variance in right and left VS volumes, respectively (right: β = −.38, t = −2.48, P = .01; left: β = −.31, t = −2.17, P = .03). Considering cognition, amotivation levels uniquely explained 9% of the variance in right VS volumes (β = −.43, t = −0.26, P = .03).ConclusionWe replicate and extend the finding of reduced VS volumes with greater amotivation. We demonstrate this relationship uniquely beyond the potential contributions of striatal D2/3R blockade by antipsychotics. Elucidating the structural correlates of amotivation in schizophrenia may help develop treatments for this presently irremediable deficit.
Time series copulas for heteroskedastic data
Authors: Loaiza‐Maya Rubén , Smith Michael S. , Maneesoonthorn Worapree 
Published: November 2017

SummaryWe propose parametric copulas that capture serial dependence in stationary heteroskedastic time series. We suggest copulas for first‐order Markov series, and then extend them to higher orders and multivariate series. We derive the copula of a volatility proxy, based on which we propose new measures of volatility dependence, including co‐movement and spillover in multivariate series. In general, these depend upon the marginal distributions of the series. Using exchange rate returns, we show that the resulting copula models can capture their marginal distributions more accurately than univariate and multivariate generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity models, and produce more accurate value‐at‐risk forecasts.
Ribavirin augments doxorubicin's efficacy in human hepatocellular carcinoma through inhibiting doxorubicin‐induced eIF4E activation
Authors: Tan Jun , Ye Jingfen , Song Meijun , Zhou Mi , Hu Yaoren 
Published: November 2017

AbstractActivation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) is a cellular survival mechanism in response to chemotherapy in cancers. In this work, we demonstrate that targeting eIF4E by ribavirin sensitizes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell response to doxorubicin. Ribavirin inhibits growth and survival of HCC cells, and to a greater extent than in normal liver cells. Its combination with doxorubicin achieves greater efficacy than single drug in vitro and in vivo. Ribavirin suppresses phosphorylation of molecules involved in Akt/mTOR/eIF4E pathway. Overexpression of the phosphomimetic form (S209D) but not the nonphosphorylatable form (S209A) eIF4E significantly reverses the inhibitory effects of ribavirin. Interestingly, doxorubicin significantly increases p‐eIF4E(S209) level in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner, suggesting that doxorubicin induces eIF4E activation in HCC cells. In addition, eIF4E activation induced by doxorubicin in HCC cells is inhibited by ribavirin. Our work demonstrates the greater efficacy of ribavirin and doxorubicin combination and its underlying mechanisms.
Gomory‐Hu trees of infinite graphs with finite total weight
Authors: Joó Attila 
Published: November 2017

AbstractA well‐known theorem of Gomory and Hu states that if G is a finite graph with nonnegative weights on its edges, then there exists a tree T (now called a Gomory‐Hu tree) on such that for all there is an such that the two components of determine an optimal (minimal valued) cut between u an v in G. In this article, we extend their result to infinite weighted graphs with finite total weight. Furthermore, we show by an example that one cannot omit the condition of the finiteness of the total weight.
Reverse double inversion‐recovery: Improving motion robustness of cardiac T2‐weighted dark‐blood turbo spin‐echo sequence
Authors: Hu Chenxi , Huber Steffen , Latif Syed R. , Santacana‐Laffitte Guido , Mojibian Hamid R. , Baldassarre Lauren A. , Peters Dana C. 
Published: November 2017

BackgroundCardiac dark‐blood turbo spin‐echo (TSE) imaging is sensitive to through‐plane motion, resulting in myocardial signal reduction.PurposeTo propose and validate reverse double inversion‐recovery (RDIR)—a dark‐blood preparation with improved motion robustness for the cardiac dark‐blood TSE sequence.Study TypeProspective.PopulationHealthy volunteers (n = 10) and patients (n = 20).Field Strength1.5T (healthy volunteers) and 3T (patients).AssessmentCompared to double inversion recovery (DIR), RDIR swaps the two inversion pulses in time and places the slice‐selective 180° in late‐diastole of the previous cardiac cycle to minimize slice misregistration. RDIR and DIR were performed in the same left‐ventricular basal short‐axis slice. Healthy subjects were imaged with two preparation slice thicknesses, 110% and 200%, while patients were imaged using a 200% slice thickness only. Images were assessed quantitatively, by measuring the myocardial signal heterogeneity and the extent of dropout, and also qualitatively on a 5‐point scale.Statistical TestsQuantitative and qualitative data were assessed with Student's t‐test and Wilcoxon signed‐rank test, respectively.ResultsIn healthy subjects, RDIR with 110% slice thickness significantly reduced signal heterogeneity in both the left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle (RV) (LV: P = 0.006, RV: P < 0.0001) and the extent of RV dropout (P < 0.0001), while RDIR with 200% slice thickness significantly reduced RV signal heterogeneity (P = 0.001) and the extent of RV dropout (P = 0.0002). In patients, RDIR significantly reduced RV myocardial signal heterogeneity (0.31 vs. 0.43; P = 0.003) and the extent of RV dropout (24% vs. 46%; P = 0.0005). LV signal heterogeneity exhibited a trend towards improvement with RDIR (0.12 vs. 0.16; P = 0.06). Qualitative evaluation showed a significant improvement of LV and RV visualization in RDIR compared to DIR (LV: P = 0.04, RV: P = 0.0007) and a significantly improved overall image quality (P = 0.03).Data ConclusionRDIR TSE is less sensitive to through‐plane motion, potentiating increased clinical utility for black‐blood TSE.Level of Evidence: 1Technical Efficacy: Stage 1J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:1498–1508.
Transplantation of feeder‐free human induced pluripotent stem cell–derived cortical neuron progenitors in adult male Wistar rats with focal brain ischemia
Authors: Hermanto Yulius , Sunohara Tadashi , Faried Ahmad , Takagi Yasushi , Takahashi Jun , Maki Takakuni , Miyamoto Susumu 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe use of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) eliminates the ethical issues associated with fetal or embryonic materials, thus allowing progress in cell therapy research for ischemic stroke. Strict regulation of cell therapy development requires the xeno‐free condition to eliminate clinical complications. Maintenance of hiPSCs with feeder‐free condition presents a higher degree of spontaneous differentiation in comparison with conventional cultures. Therefore, feeder‐free derivation might be not ideal for developing transplantable hiPSC derivatives. We developed the feeder‐free condition for differentiation of cortical neurons from hiPSCs. Then, we evaluated the cells' characteristics upon transplantation into the sham and focal brain ischemia on adult male Wistar rats. Grafts in lesioned brains demonstrated polarized reactivity toward the ischemic border, indicated by directional preferences in axonal outgrowth and cellular migration, with no influence on graft survival. Following the transplantation, forelimb asymmetry was better restored compared with controls. Herein, we provide evidence to support the use of the xeno‐free condition for the development of cell therapy for ischemic stroke.
Assessment and correction of BCC_CSM's performance in capturing leading modes of summer precipitation over North Asia
Authors: Gong Zhiqiang , Dogar Muhammad Mubashar , Qiao Shaobo , Hu Po , Feng Guolin 
Published: November 2017

ABSTRACTThis article examines the ability of Beijing Climate Center Climate System Model (BCC_CSM) in demonstrating the prediction accuracy and the leading modes of the summer precipitation over North Asia (NA). A dynamic‐statistic combined approach for improving the prediction accuracy and the prediction of the leading modes of the summer precipitation over NA is proposed. Our results show that the BCC_CSM can capture part of the spatial anomaly features of the first two leading modes of NA summer precipitation. Moreover, BCC_CSM regains relationships such that the first and second mode of the empirical orthogonal function (EOF1 and EOF2) of NA summer precipitation, respectively, corresponds to the development of the El Niño and La Niña conditions in the tropical East Pacific. Nevertheless, BCC_CSM exhibits limited prediction skill over most part of NA and presents a deficiency in reproducing the EOF1's and EOF2's spatial pattern over central NA and EOF2's interannual variability. This can be attributed as the possible reasons why the model is unable to capture the correct relationships among the basic climate elements over the central NA, lacks in its ability to reproduce a consistent zonal atmospheric pattern over NA, and has bias in predicting the relevant Sea Surface Temperature (SST) modes over the tropical Pacific and Indian Ocean regions. Based on the proposed dynamic‐statistic combined correction approach, compared with the leading modes of BCC_CSM's original prediction, anomaly correlation coefficients of corrected EOF1/EOF2 with the tropical Indian Ocean SST are improved from 0.18/0.36 to 0.51/0.62. Hence, the proposed correction approach suggests that the BCC_CSM's prediction skill for the summer precipitation prediction over NA and its ability to capture the dominant modes could be certainly improved by choosing proper historical analogue information.