bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Four New Tirucallane Triterpenoids from the Fruits of Melia azedarach and Their Cytotoxic Activities
Authors: Zhou Fang , Ma Xin‐Hua , Li Zhi‐Jun , Li Wei , Zheng Wei‐Min , Wang Zhi‐Biao , Zeng Xian‐Ming , Sun Kai‐Hui , Zhang Yong‐Hong 
Published: July 2016

Four new tirucallane triterpenoids, (21S,23R,24R)‐21,23‐epoxy‐21,24‐dihydroxy‐25‐methoxytirucall‐7‐en‐3‐one (2), (3S,21S,23R,24S)‐21,23‐epoxy‐21,25‐dimethoxytirucall‐7‐ene‐3,24‐diol (8), (21S,23R,24R)‐21,23‐epoxy‐24‐hydroxy‐21‐methoxytirucalla‐7,25‐dien‐3‐one (11), and (21S,23R,24R)‐21,23‐epoxy‐21,24‐dihydroxytirucalla‐7,25‐dien‐3‐one (12), along with 16 known analogues, 1, 3 – 7, 9 – 10, and 13 – 20, were isolated from the fruits of Melia azedarach. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR techniques and mass spectrometry. These compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicities against HepG2 (liver), SGC7901 (stomach), K562 (leukemia), and HL60 (leukemia) cancer cell lines. Compound 20 exhibited potent cytotoxicity against HepG2 and SGC7901 cancer cells with the IC50 values of 6.9 and 6.9 μm, respectively.
Mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) desensitization increases sea urchin spermatozoa fertilization rate
Authors: Torrezan‐Nitao Elis , Boni Raianna , Marques‐Santos Luis Fernando 
Published: July 2016

AbstractMitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) is a protein complex whose opening promotes an abrupt increase in mitochondrial inner membrane permeability. Calcium signaling pathways are described in gametes and are involved in the fertilization process. Although mitochondria may act as Ca2+ store and have a fast calcium‐releasing mechanism through MPTP, its contribution to fertilization remains unclear. The work aimed to investigate the MPTP phenomenon in sea urchin spermatozoa and its role on the fertilization. Several pharmacological tools were used to evaluate the MPTP's physiology. Our results demonstrated that MPTP occurs in male gametes in a Ca2+‐ and voltage‐dependent manner and it is sensitive to cyclosporine A. Additionally, our data show that MPTP opening does not alter ROS generation in sperm cells. Inhibition of MPTP in spermatozoa strongly improved the fertilization rate, which may involve mechanisms that increase the spermatozoa lifespan. The present work is the first report of the presence of a voltage‐ and Ca2+‐dependent MPTP in gametes of invertebrates and indicates MPTP opening as another evolutionary feature shared by sea urchins and mammals. Studies about MPTP in sea urchin male gametes may contribute to the elucidation of several mechanisms involved in sperm infertility.
A novel suturing approach for tissue displacement within minimally invasive periodontal plastic surgery
Authors: Ronco Vincent , Dard Michel 
Published: July 2016

Key Clinical MessageThis paper describes a novel suturing approach that achieves harmonious and atraumatic soft tissue displacement in periodontal plastic surgery and soft tissue management around implants. The technique relies on a combination of horizontal and vertical mattress that are anchored at the splinted incisal contact points.
Foraging decisions underlying restricted space use: effects of fire and forage maturation on large herbivore nutrient uptake
Authors: Raynor Edward J. , Joern Anthony , Nippert Jesse B. , Briggs John M. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractRecent models suggest that herbivores optimize nutrient intake by selecting patches of low to intermediate vegetation biomass. We assessed the application of this hypothesis to plains bison (Bison bison) in an experimental grassland managed with fire by estimating daily rates of nutrient intake in relation to grass biomass and by measuring patch selection in experimental watersheds in which grass biomass was manipulated by prescribed burning. Digestible crude protein content of grass declined linearly with increasing biomass, and the mean digestible protein content relative to grass biomass was greater in burned watersheds than watersheds not burned that spring (intercept;F1,251 = 50.57,P < 0.0001). Linking these values to published functional response parameters,ad libitumprotein intake, and protein expenditure parameters, Fryxell's (Am. Nat., 1991,138, 478) model predicted that the daily rate of protein intake should be highest when bison feed in grasslands with 400–600 kg/ha. In burned grassland sites, where bison spend most of their time, availability of grass biomass ranged between 40 and 3650 kg/ha, bison selected foraging areas of roughly 690 kg/ha, close to the value for protein intake maximization predicted by the model. The seasonal net protein intake predicted for large grazers in this study suggest feeding in burned grassland can be more beneficial for nutrient uptake relative to unburned grassland as long as grass regrowth is possible. Foraging site selection for grass patches of low to intermediate biomass help explain patterns of uniform space use reported previously for large grazers in fire‐prone systems.
Effects of climate warming on plant autotoxicity in forest evolution: a case simulation analysis for Picea schrenkiana regeneration
Authors: Ruan Xiao , Pan Cun‐De , Liu Run , Li Zhao‐Hui , LI Shu‐Ling , Jiang De‐An , Zhang Jing‐Chi , Wang Geoff , Zhao Yin‐Xian , Wang Qiang 
Published: July 2016

AbstractIn order to explore how plant autotoxicity changes with climate warming, the autotoxicity of P. schrenkiana needles' water extract, organic extract fractions, and key allelochemical DHAP was systemically investigated at the temperature rising 2 and 4°C based on the data‐monitored soil temperature during the last decade in the stage of Schrenk spruce regeneration (seed germination and seedling growth). The results showed that the criterion day and night temperatures were 12°C and 4°C for seed germination, and 14°C and 6°C for seedling growth, respectively. In the presence of water extract, the temperature rise of 2°C significantly inhibited the germination vigor and rate of P. Schrenkiana seed, and a temperature rise of 4°C significantly increased the inhibition to the seedling growth (P < 0.05). Among the three organic fractions, the low‐polar fraction showed to be more phytotoxic than the other two fractions, causing significant inhibitory effects on the seed germination and growth even at low concentration of 0.1 mg/mL, and the inhibition effect was enhanced as temperature increased. The temperature rise significantly enhanced the promotion effect of DHAP, while the inhibition effect of temperature rise became less important with increasing concentration of DHAP. This investigation revealed that autotoxicity of P. schrenkiana was affected by the climate warming. As expected, it provided an insight into the mechanism and effectiveness of allelopathy in bridging the causal relationship between forest evolution and climate warming.
The statistical power to detect cross‐scale interactions at macroscales
Authors: Wagner Tyler , Fergus C. Emi , Stow Craig A. , Cheruvelil Kendra S. , Soranno Patricia A. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractMacroscale studies of ecological phenomena are increasingly common because stressors such as climate and land‐use change operate at large spatial and temporal scales. Cross‐scale interactions (CSIs), where ecological processes operating at one spatial or temporal scale interact with processes operating at another scale, have been documented in a variety of ecosystems and contribute to complex system dynamics. However, studies investigating CSIs are often dependent on compiling multiple data sets from different sources to create multithematic, multiscaled data sets, which results in structurally complex, and sometimes incomplete data sets. The statistical power to detect CSIs needs to be evaluated because of their importance and the challenge of quantifying CSIs using data sets with complex structures and missing observations. We studied this problem using a spatially hierarchical model that measures CSIs between regional agriculture and its effects on the relationship between lake nutrients and lake productivity. We used an existing large multithematic, multiscaled database, LAke multiscaled GeOSpatial, and temporal database (LAGOS), to parameterize the power analysis simulations. We found that the power to detect CSIs was more strongly related to the number of regions in the study rather than the number of lakes nested within each region. CSI power analyses will not only help ecologists design large‐scale studies aimed at detecting CSIs, but will also focus attention on CSI effect sizes and the degree to which they are ecologically relevant and detectable with large data sets.
Shifting demographic conflicts across recruitment cohorts in a dynamic post‐disturbance landscape
Authors: Leverkus Alexandro B. , Rey Benayas José María , Castro Jorge 
Published: July 2016

AbstractSeed dispersal effectiveness, which measures the number of adult plant individuals produced by seed dispersal, is the product of the number of seeds dispersed and the probability a seed produces an adult. Directed dispersal to certain habitat types may enhance some stages of recruitment but disfavor others, generating demographic conflicts in plant ontogeny. We asked whether temporal changes in habitat features may affect the distribution of seedlings recruited from dispersed acorns, and whether this could induce shifts in the life‐stage conflicts experienced by successive cohorts of naturally recruited plants. As early successional habitats are characterized by rapid change, we used a burnt pine stand in southern Spain to monitor the recruitment and performance of a major tree species (Quercus ilex) across 7 yr in four types of post‐fire habitats. These differed in structure and included patches of unburnt forest and three management alternatives of burnt trees: logging, partial cutting, and nonintervention. Young oaks that resprouted after the fire were mainly located near acorn sources, while new seedlings initially emerged mostly in habitats with standing snags due to habitat selection by European jays, Garrulus glandarius, for dispersal. The dead pines gradually collapsed and attracted less dispersal, so subsequent seedling cohorts mainly recruited within patches of unburnt pines. These live pines enhanced the survival of the oaks located beneath their canopy but greatly reduced their growth as compared to the other post‐fire habitats, thus representing a demographic conflict that was absent elsewhere. As a consequence of the directional shift in the habitat where seedlings recruited, successive seedling cohorts experienced a gradual improvement in their likelihood of survival but a reduction in growth. The progressive intensification of this life‐stage conflict hinged on the reduction of vertical structures in the habitat with standing burnt pines. Recruitment success thus involved temporal variation in the habitat where recruitment occurred, likely resulting from changes in the direction of seed dispersal, and spatial variation in habitat suitability for seedling establishment and growth. Temporal changes in habitat structure can indirectly change the environment in which recruitment occurs, and consequently seed dispersal effectiveness, by shifting the direction of seed dispersal.
Chronic wasting disease in white‐tailed deer: infection, mortality, and implications for heterogeneous transmission
Authors: Samuel Michael D. , Storm Daniel J. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractChronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting free‐ranging and captive cervids that now occurs in 24 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. Despite the potential threat of CWD to deer populations, little is known about the rates of infection and mortality caused by this disease. We used epidemiological models to estimate the force of infection and disease‐associated mortality for white‐tailed deer in the Wisconsin and Illinois CWD outbreaks. Models were based on age‐prevalence data corrected for bias in aging deer using the tooth wear and replacement method. Both male and female deer in the Illinois outbreak had higher corrected age‐specific prevalence with slightly higher female infection than deer in the Wisconsin outbreak. Corrected ages produced more complex models with different infection and mortality parameters than those based on apparent prevalence. We found that adult male deer have a more than threefold higher risk of CWD infection than female deer. Males also had higher disease mortality than female deer. As a result, CWD prevalence was twofold higher in adult males than females. We also evaluated the potential impacts of alternative contact structures on transmission dynamics in Wisconsin deer. Results suggested that transmission of CWD among male deer during the nonbreeding season may be a potential mechanism for producing higher rates of infection and prevalence characteristically found in males. However, alternatives based on high environmental transmission and transmission from females to males during the breeding season may also play a role.
Chronic warming stimulates growth of marsh grasses more than mangroves in a coastal wetland ecotone
Authors: Coldren G. A. , Barreto C. R. , Wykoff D. D. , Morrissey E. M. , Langley J. A. , Feller I. C. , Chapman S. K. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractIncreasing temperatures and a reduction in the frequency and severity of freezing events have been linked to species distribution shifts. Across the globe, mangrove ranges are expanding toward higher latitudes, likely due to diminishing frequency of freezing events associated with climate change. Continued warming will alter coastal wetland plant dynamics both above‐ and belowground, potentially altering plant capacity to keep up with sea level rise. We conducted an in situ warming experiment, in northeast Florida, to determine how increased temperature (+2°C) influences co‐occurring mangrove and salt marsh plants. Warming was achieved using passive warming with three treatment levels (ambient, shade control, warmed). Avicennia germinans, the black mangrove, exhibited no differences in growth or height due to experimental warming, but displayed a warming‐induced increase in leaf production (48%). Surprisingly, Distichlis spicata, the dominant salt marsh grass, increased in biomass (53% in 2013 and 70% in 2014), density (41%) and height (18%) with warming during summer months. Warming decreased plant root mass at depth and changed abundances of anaerobic bacterial taxa. Even while the poleward shift of mangroves is clearly controlled by the occurrences of severe freezes, chronic warming between these freeze events may slow the progression of mangrove dominance within ecotones.
Variation in stability of elk and red deer populations with abiotic and biotic factors at the species‐distribution scale
Authors: Ahrestani Farshid S. , Smith William K. , Hebblewhite Mark , Running Steven , Post Eric 
Published: July 2016

AbstractStability in population dynamics is an emergent property of the interaction between direct and delayed density dependence, the strengths of which vary with environmental covariates. Analysis of variation across populations in the strength of direct and delayed density dependence can reveal variation in stability properties of populations at the species level. We examined the stability properties of 22 elk/red deer populations in a two‐stage analysis. First, we estimated direct and delayed density dependence applying anAR(2) model in a Bayesian hierarchical framework. Second, we plotted the coefficients of direct and delayed density dependence in the Royama parameter plane. We then used a hierarchical approach to test the significance of environmental covariates of direct and delayed density dependence. Three populations exhibited highly stable and convergent dynamics with strong direct, and weak delayed, density dependence. The remaining 19 populations exhibited more complex dynamics characterized by multi‐annual fluctuations. Most (15 of 19) of these exhibited a combination of weak to moderate direct and delayed density dependence. Best‐fit models included environmental covariates in 17 populations (77% of the total). Of these, interannual variation in growing‐season primary productivity and interannual variation in winter temperature were the most common, performing as the best‐fit covariate in six and five populations, respectively. Interannual variation in growing‐season primary productivity was associated with the weakest combination of direct and delayed density dependence, while interannual variation in winter temperature was associated with the strongest combination of direct and delayed density dependence. These results accord with a classic theoretical prediction that environmental variability should weaken population stability. They furthermore suggest that two forms of environmental variability, one related to forage resources and the other related to abiotic conditions, both reduce stability, but in opposing fashion: one through weakened direct density dependence and the other through strengthened delayed density dependence. Importantly, however, no single abiotic or biotic environmental factor emerged as generally predictive of the strengths of direct or delayed density dependence, nor of the stability properties emerging from their interaction. Our results emphasize the challenges inherent to ascribing primacy to drivers of such parameters at the species level and distribution scale.
Normal human mitral valve proteome: A preliminary investigation by gel‐based and gel‐free proteomic approaches
Authors: Brioschi Maura , Baetta Roberta , Ghilardi Stefania , Gianazza Erica , Guarino Anna , Parolari Alessandro , Polvani Gianluca , Tremoli Elena , Banfi Cristina 
Published: July 2016

The mitral valve is a highly complex structure which regulates blood flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle (LV) avoiding a significant forward gradient during diastole or regurgitation during systole. The integrity of the mitral valve is also essential for the maintenance of normal LV size, geometry, and function. Significant advances in the comprehension of the biological, functional, and mechanical behavior of the mitral valve have recently been made. However, current knowledge of protein components in the normal human mitral valve is still limited and complicated by the low cellularity of this tissue and the presence of high abundant proteins from the extracellular matrix. We employed here an integrated proteomic approach to analyse the protein composition of the normal human mitral valve and reported confident identification of 422 proteins, some of which have not been previously described in this tissue. In particular, we described the ability of pre‐MS separation technique based on liquid‐phase IEF and SDS‐PAGE to identify the largest number of proteins. We also demonstrated that some of these proteins, e.g. αB‐Crystallin, septin‐11, four‐and‐a‐half LIM domains protein 1, and dermatopontin, are synthesised by interstitial cells isolated from human mitral valves. These initial results provide a valuable basis for future studies aimed at analysing in depth the mitral valve protein composition and at investigating potential pathogenetic molecular mechanisms.Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD004397.
Parallel implementation of data assimilation
Authors: Bibov Alexander , Haario Heikki 
Published: July 2016

SummaryKalman filter is a sequential estimation scheme that combines predicted and observed data to reduce the uncertainty of the next prediction. Because of its sequential nature, the algorithm cannot be efficiently implemented on modern parallel compute hardware nor can it be practically implemented on large‐scale dynamical systems because of memory issues. In this paper, we attempt to address pitfalls of the earlier low‐memory approach described in and extend it for parallel implementation. First, we describe a low‐memory method that enables one to pack covariance matrix data employed by the Kalman filter into a low‐memory form by means of certain quasi‐Newton approximation. Second, we derive parallel formulation of the filtering task, which allows to compute several filter iterations independently. Furthermore, this leads to an improvement of estimation quality as the method takes into account the cross‐correlations between consequent system states. We experimentally demonstrate this improvement by comparing the suggested algorithm with the other data assimilation methods that can benefit from parallel implementation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Impacts of changing climate on the hydrology and hydropower production of the Tagus River basin
Authors: Lobanova Anastasia , Koch Hagen , Liersch Stefan , Hattermann Fred F. , Krysanova Valentina 
Published: July 2016

AbstractThe Tagus River basin is an ultimately important water source for hydropower production, urban and agricultural water supply in Spain and Portugal. Growing electricity and water supply demands, over‐regulation of the river and construction of new dams, as well as large inter‐basin and intra‐basin water transfers aggravated by strong natural variability of climate in the catchment, have already imposed significant pressures on the river. The substantial reduction of discharge is observed already now, and projected climatic change is expected to alter the water budget of the catchment further.In this study, we address the effects of projected climate change on the water resources availability in the Tagus River basin and influence of potential changes on hydropower generation of the three important reservoirs in the basin. The catchment‐scale, process‐based eco‐hydrological model soil and water integrated model was set up, calibrated and validated for the entire Tagus River basin, taking into account 15 large reservoirs in the catchment. The future climate projections were selected from those generated within the Inter‐Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project. They include five bias‐corrected climatic datasets for the region, obtained from global circulation model runs under two emissions scenario – moderate and extreme ones – and covered the whole century. The results show a strong agreement among model runs in projecting substantial decrease of discharge of the Tagus River discharge and, consequently, a strong decrease in hydropower production under both future climate scenarios. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quantifying changes of effective springshed area and net recharge through recession analysis of spring flow
Authors: Ghosh Debapi K. , Wang Dingbao , Bilskie Matthew V. , Hagen Scott C. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractThe average flow of Silver Springs, one of the largest magnitude springs in Central Florida, declined 32% from 2000 to 2012. The average groundwater head in the springshed declined 0.14 m, and the spring pool altitude increased 0.24 m during the same period. This paper presents a novel explanation of the spring flow recession curve for Silver Springs using the Torricelli model, which uses the groundwater head at a sentinel well, the spring pool altitude and the net recharge to groundwater. The effective springshed area and net recharge (defined as recharge minus groundwater pumping and evapotranspiration) were estimated based on the observed recession slopes for spring flow, groundwater head and spring pool altitude. The results indicate that the effective springshed area continuously declined since 1989 and the net recharge declined since the 1970s with a significant drop in 2002. Subsequent to 2002, the net recharge increased modestly but not to the levels prior to the 1990s. The reduction in net recharge was caused by changes in hydroclimatic conditions including precipitation and air temperature, along with groundwater withdrawals, which contributed to the declined spring flow. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.