bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Can statistical downscaling improve consensus among CMIP5 models for Indian summer monsoon rainfall projections?
Authors: Madhusoodhanan C. G. , Shashikanth K. , Eldho T. I. , Ghosh Subimal 
Published: December 2017

ABSTRACTThe projections of plausible changes in future climate using coarse scale General Circulation Models (GCMs) for non‐smooth climate variables, such as precipitation, possess limited skill and are often conflicting. The confidence in precipitation projections is further obscured due to the exclusion of inter‐model and natural internal variability. The present study investigates how far statistical downscaling can provide confidence in future projections while incorporating these major uncertainties under a moderate radiative forcing scenario. Here, we assess the consensus for future changes in Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall (ISMR) from 20 CMIP5 GCMs and their statistically downscaled counterparts at 0.05° resolution for the 21st century. The Statistical Downscaling (SD) model is skillful in capturing the spatial variability of observed ISMR and shows significant improvement over host GCMs. GCMs show consistent but spatially inhomogeneous increase in future ISMR which intensify towards the end of the century. On the other hand, the downscaled outputs show spatially non‐uniform trends which intensify in their respective directions from near to long term. Both projections show high inter‐model inconsistencies. The multi‐model consensus among GCMs and SD across these in‐congruent models depicts inconclusive and highly uncertain changes in future. The GCMs show significant change with high model inconsistency uniformly across India across time scales. Even though the downscaled outputs show similar results for majority of the Indian landmass, it is highly heterogeneous across time horizons. There is also an emergence of medium evidence for future changes in ISMR for few regions of the country such as the southern Western Ghats, foothills of the Himalaya and central India. The study brings out that even‐improved simulations from downscaling fail to reliably project ISMR due to high inter‐model uncertainty and internal variability. The significant but inconsistent future changes in ISMR projected for a major portion of the Indian subcontinent, in contrast to earlier studies, pose extreme challenges to climate change impact assessments and adaptation/mitigation planning.
Tone mapping to minimize visual sensation distortion considering brightness and local band‐limited contrast
Authors: Shin Seungjun , Kong Kyeongbo , Lee Junggi , Song Woo‐Jin , Kwon Kyung Joon , Kim Seong Gyun 
Published: December 2017

AbstractWe propose a tone‐mapping algorithm that minimizes the function that represents the visual sensation distortion that occurs after tone mapping. For the function, we consider both brightness and local band‐limited contrast to reduce darkening of images that have high dynamic range when they are displayed with conventional contrast‐based tone mapping using histogram on devices that have low dynamic range. By exploiting human visual characteristics, we simplify the problem and find a closed‐form solution that minimizes the function that represents distortion of visual sensation. In both subjective and objective evaluations, the proposed algorithm achieves a processed image that is most similar to the original image and has the best subjective image quality.
Posttraumatic Stress, Somatization, and Quality of Life Among Ivorian Refugees
Authors: Kounou Kossi B. , Brodard Fabrice , Gnassingbe Afèignindou , Dogbe Foli Ayoko A. , Sager Julia C. , Schmitt Laurent , Bui Eric 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe present study examined the relationship between peritraumatic reactions, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, somatization, and quality of life (QoL) in a sample of refugees, two years after the 2011 Ivory Coast sociopolitical crisis. Participants were 101 Ivorian adult refugees (mean age = 31.61 years, SD = 7.84; 45.5% women) who completed several questionnaires relating to peritraumatic reactions, PTSD symptoms, somatization, and QoL. Most participants (86.1%) scored above the cutoff for probable PTSD. Peritraumatic dissociation and peritraumatic distress were significantly associated with PTSD symptoms, (r = .64, p < .001) and (r = .60, p < .001), respectively, and somatization, (r = .21, p = .038) and (r = .35, p < .001), respectively, as well as with QoL, (r = –.20, p = .045) and (r = –.21, p = .037), respectively. Similarly, QoL was significantly negatively correlated with PTSD symptoms (r = −.33, p < .001) and somatization (r = −.39, p < .001). In multivariate analyses, somatization was the strongest predictor of QoL (β = −.31, p = .003). Finally, somatization statistically mediated the association between peritraumatic distress and QoL. These findings suggest that PTSD may be frequent among Ivorian refugees, and that somatization may be an important feature of the traumatic experiences. Targeting somatization in conjunction with trauma‐centered therapy may improve outcomes in sub‐Saharan Africans with PTSD.
In vivo characterization of brain ultrashort‐T2 components
Authors: Boucneau Tanguy , Cao Peng , Tang Shuyu , Han Misung , Xu Duan , Henry Roland G. , Larson Peder E. Z. 
Published: December 2017

PurposeRecent nuclear magnetic resonance and MRI studies have measured a fast‐relaxing signal component with
ms in white matter and myelin extracts. In ex vivo studies, evidence suggests that a large fraction of this component directly arises from bound protons in the myelin phospholipid membranes. Based on these results, this ultrashort‐T2 component in nervous tissue is a new potential imaging biomarker of myelination, which plays a critical role in neuronal signal conduction across the brain and loss or degradation of myelin is a key feature of many neurological disorders. The goal of this work was to characterize the relaxation times and frequency shifts of ultrashort‐T2 components in the human brain.MethodsThis required development of an ultrashort echo time relaxometry acquisition strategy and fitting procedure for robust measurements in the presence of ultrashort
relaxation times and large frequency shifts.ResultsWe measured an ultrashort‐T2 component in healthy volunteers with a median
between 0.5–0.7 ms at 3T and 0.2–0.3 ms at 7T as well as an approximately −3 ppm frequency shift from water.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the first time a chemical shift of the ultrashort‐T2 brain component has been measured in vivo. This chemical shift, at around 1.7 ppm, is similar to the primary resonance of most lipids, indicating that much of the ultrashort‐T2 component observed in vivo arises from bound protons in the myelin phospholipid membranes. Magn Reson Med 80:726–735, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Evaluating the parent–adolescent communication toolkit: Usability and preliminary content effectiveness of an online intervention
Authors: Toombs Elaine , Unruh Anita , McGrath Patrick 
Published: December 2017

AbstractAimThis study aimed to assess the Parent–Adolescent Communication Toolkit, an online intervention designed to help improve parent communication with their adolescents. Participant preferences for two module delivery systems (sequential and unrestricted module access) were identified.DesignUsability assessment of thePACTintervention was completed using pre‐test and posttest comparisons. Usability data, including participant completion and satisfaction ratings were examined.MethodsParents (N = 18) of adolescents were randomized to a sequential or unrestricted chapter access group. Parent participants completed pre‐test measures, thePACTintervention and posttest measures. Participants provided feedback for the intervention to improve modules and provided usability ratings. Adolescent pre‐ and posttest ratings were evaluated.ResultsUsability ratings were high and parent feedback was positive. The sequential module access groups rated the intervention content higher and completed more content than the unrestricted chapter access group, indicating support for the sequential access design. Parent mean posttest communication scores were significantly higher (p < .05) than pre‐test scores. No significant differences were detected for adolescent participants. Findings suggest that the Parent–Adolescent Communication Toolkit has potential to improve parent–adolescent communication but further effectiveness assessment is required.
Nurse anaesthetist students' experiences of patient dignity in perioperative practice—a hermeneutic study
Authors: Valeberg Berit T. , Liodden Ingrid , Grimsmo Bergsvein , Lindwall Lillemor 
Published: December 2017

AbstractAimThe aim of the study was to describe how nurse anaesthetist students experienced patient dignity in perioperative practice.DesignA hermeneutical design and the critical incident technique were used to obtain experiences from practice.MethodIn the Autumn of 2015, after participating in a mandatory lecture on ethics, 23 nurse anaesthetist students reported their experiences and interpretation concerning violation and preservation of patients' dignity in the operating theatre. The text, which was a compilation of descriptions of 35 incidents, was analysed by using hermeneutical text interpretation.FindingsThe text revealed three main themes preserving patients' dignity: allocating time to the patient, inviting the patient to participate and shielding the patient's body. Furthermore, three main themes of dignity violation were identified: alienation, backbiting and violation of intimate sphere.ConclusionDiscussion and reflection based on the personal experience of the students during their practice are ways to strengthen ethical awareness and promote an ethical and dignified caring culture.
Age Variation in the Association Between Obesity and Mortality in Adults
Authors: Wang Zhiqiang , Peng Yang , Liu Meina 
Published: December 2017

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the previously reported finding that the association between obesity and mortality strengthens with increasing age.MethodsThe data were derived from the National Health Interview Survey. Age‐specific hazard ratios of mortality for grade 2/3 obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2), relative to a BMI of 18.5 kg/m2 to < 25 kg/m2, were calculated by using a flexible parametric survival model (240,184 white men) and Cox proportional hazard models (51,697 matched pairs).ResultsWhen the model included interaction terms between obesity and age at the survey, hazard ratios appeared to increase with age if those interaction terms were ignored by fixing age at the survey as a single value. However, when recalculated for adults with various ages at the survey, according to model specifications, hazard ratios were higher for younger adults than for older adults with the same follow‐up duration. Based on matched data, hazard ratios were also higher for younger adults (2.14 [95% CI: 1.90‐2.40] for those 40‐49 years of age) than for older adults (1.22 [95%: 0.91‐1.63] for those 90+ years of age).ConclusionsFor any given follow‐up duration, the association between obesity and mortality weakens with age. The previously reported strengthening of the obesity‐mortality association with increasing age was caused by the failure to take all the model specifications into consideration when calculating adjusted hazard ratios.
Regulation of secondary cell wall biosynthesis by a NAC transcription factor from Miscanthus
Authors: Golfier Philippe , Volkert Christopher , He Feng , Rausch Thomas , Wolf Sebastian 
Published: December 2017

AbstractCell wall recalcitrance is a major limitation for the sustainable exploitation of lignocellulosic biomass as a renewable resource. Species and hybrids of the genus Miscanthus have emerged as candidate crops for the production of lignocellulosic feedstock in temperate climates, and dedicated efforts are underway to improve biomass yield. However, nothing is known about the molecular players involved in Miscanthus cell wall biosynthesis to facilitate breeding efforts towards tailored biomass. Here, we identify a Miscanthus sinensis transcription factor related to SECONDARY WALL‐ASSOCIATED NAC DOMAIN1 (SND1), which acts as a master switch for the regulation of secondary cell wall formation and lignin biosynthesis. MsSND1 is expressed in growth stages associated with secondary cell wall formation, together with its potential targets. Consistent with this observation, MsSND1 was able to complement the secondary cell wall defects of the Arabidopsis snd1 nst1 double mutant, and ectopic expression of MsSND1 in tobacco leaves was sufficient to trigger patterned deposition of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin reminiscent of xylem elements. Transgenic studies in Arabidopsis thaliana plants revealed that MsSND1 regulates, directly and indirectly, the expression of a broad range of genes involved in secondary cell wall formation, including MYB transcription factors which regulate only a subset of the SCW differentiation program. Together, our findings suggest that MsSND1 is a transcriptional master regulator orchestrating secondary cell wall biosynthesis in Miscanthus.
Adaptive LFT control of a civil aircraft with online frequency‐domain parameter estimation
Authors: Ferreres G. , Hardier G. 
Published: December 2017

SummaryThis paper describes the application of an indirect linear fractional transformation (LFT)–based state‐space adaptive control scheme to a transport aircraft, within the context of the European project REconfiguration of CONtrol in Flight for Integral Global Upset REcovery. The principle of the scheme is to design and validate off‐line a gain‐scheduled controller, depending on the plant parameters to be estimated, and to combine it online with a model estimator, so as to minimize the onboard computational time and complexity. A modal approach, very classical for the design of a flight control law, is used to directly synthesize the static output feedback LFT controller, depending on the control and stability derivatives, ie, the parameters of the linearized aerodynamic state‐space model to be estimated. Since the gain‐scheduled LFT controller online depends on the parameter estimates instead of the true values, its robustness to transient and asymptotic estimation errors needs to be assessed using μ and integral quadratic constraint analysis techniques. A primary concern being an online implementation, a fully recursive frequency‐domain estimation technique is proposed, with a low online computational burden and the capability to track time‐varying parameters. Full nonlinear simulations along a trajectory validate the good performance properties of the combined estimator and gain‐scheduled flight controller. To some extent, minimal guaranteed stability and performance properties of the adaptive scheme can be ensured by switching to a robust controller when the parameter estimates are not reliable enough, thus bypassing the Certainty Equivalence Principle.
Ninhydrin‐Based Chemosensor for the Selective Detection and Scavenging of Mercury(II) Ions in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Balamurugan Gopal , Velmathi Sivan 
Published: December 2017

AbstractIndeno[1, 2‐b]quinoxalinone derivative (N2) was synthesized based on the thiophilic interaction of mercury(II) ions that could possess selectivity and was characterized using HSQC, HRMS and other techniques. From the naked eye sensing experiments with various anions and cations, N2 showed selectivity towards Cu(II) with colour change from colourless to pink whereas Hg(II) with colour change to orange followed by precipitaion of N2‐Hg(II) complex. HRMS, 1H NMR studies and life time measurements support the sensing behavior of N2. The precipitation of N2‐Hg(II) complex was productively developed for the scavenging of mercuric ions in the real samples under 100% aqueous medium by N2 adsorbed over silica (SN2) and cyclic voltammetry was used to validate the application.
A Combined Theoretical and FT‐IR Spectroscopy Study of a Hybrid Poly(furfuryl alcohol) – Lignin Material: Basic Chemistry of a Sustainable Wood Protection Method.
Authors: Barsberg Søren T. , Thygesen Lisbeth G. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe sustainable wood protective modification known as “furfurylation” relies on the formation of a polymer of furfuryl alcohol (FA) that interacts with lignin within wood cell walls. In this study we gain new insight on the reaction by combining density functional theory based methods with an FTIR spectroscopic study. For a set of monolignol models we study their condensation reaction with FA and find the reaction enthalpy for their most reactive sites to be near‐identical to FA self‐condensation, and indistinguishable between p‐hydroxyphenyl, guaiacyl and syringyl (H, G and S type) phenolic and non‐phenolic models. For selected models experimental and predicted FTIR spectra confirmed FA condensation to uncrowded ring positions. However, for more realistic β‐O‐4 dimer models we predicted the most reactive sites to be Cα and Cγ in addition to the non‐crowded ring positions. An analysis of expected prediction errors is presented too. We discuss the implications of these findings for the properties of the lignin‐poly(FA) hybrid material within the wood cell wall.
Desulfurization of Thioketals into Methylene and Methyl Derivatives: Nickel or not Nickel?
Authors: Zhao Guangkuan , Yuan Ling‐Zhi , Alami Mouad , Provot Olivier 
Published: December 2017

AbstractIn this review, the desulfurization of thioacetals and thioketals leading to methyl and methylene derivatives is summarized through metal and metal‐free methodologies. In the section concerning the use of metals for desulfurization reactions, we will be successively presenting and discussing all methods requiring Ni and Ni derivatives as reducing agents and other examples in which metals were used to generate solvating electrons as reducing species. The following section will concern the use of other desulfurizing agents as metal‐hydrides (Bu3SnH, Et3SiH) and metal‐free desulfurization reactions of thioketals. The functional group tolerance of the presented methods with functionalized and sensitive substrates will be discussed.
Copper‐Catalyzed Selective Synthesis of 5‐Selanyl‐imidazo[2,1‐b]thiazoles
Authors: Santos Kelvin S. , Sandagorda Eduardo M. A. , Cargnelutti Roberta , Barcellos Thiago , Jacob Raquel G. , Alves Diego , Schumacher Ricardo F. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractWe describe a selective and direct method to synthesize a wide variety of 5‐selanyl‐imidazo[2,1‐b]thiazoles by copper(I)–catalyzed reaction of imidazo[2,1‐b]thiazoles with diorganyl diselenides. The reactions were carried out in DMSO at 90 °C in air. The methodology was tolerant to differently substituted diorganyl diselenides containing electron‐deficient, electron‐rich, and bulky groups. Still, various imidazo[2,1‐b]thiazoles were used and furnishing the expected products in good to excellent yields. All the products were selectively coupled at 5‐position of the imidazo[2,1‐b]thiazole and no regioisomers were detected.
Trace Iodide Dramatically Accelerates the Peroxidase Activity of VOx at ppb‐Concentration Levels
Authors: Niu Xiangheng , He Yanfang , Li Xin , Song Hongwei , Zhang Wenchi , Peng Yinxian , Pan Jianming , Qiu Fengxian 
Published: December 2017

AbstractDespite artificial nanozymes, as compared to natural enzymes, exhibit distinct superiorities of low cost, robustness against harsh environments, high stability and easy mass‐production, the relatively lower activity and efficiency still seriously restrict their application in high‐performance photometric chemosensing and biosensing. Promoting the activity and efficiency of nanozymes turns to be a significant yet challenging goal of the nanozyme community. Here we found, for the first time, that trace I− can dramatically boost the peroxidase‐like activity (over 50‐fold higher) of VOx at ppb‐concentration levels. It was deduced that the significant enhancement of nanozymatic activity mainly results from the synergetic modulation of surface redox and electronic structure of VOx. Based on this finding, ultrasensitive photometric detection of both H2O2 and I− (down to nM) was realized.
High yield production of four-carbon dicarboxylic acids by metabolically engineered Escherichia coli
Authors: Martinez Irene , Gao Haijun , Bennett George N , San Ka-Yiu 
Published: December 2017

Abstract
Several metabolic engineered Escherichia coli strains were constructed and evaluated for four-carbon dicarboxylic acid production. Fumarase A, fumarase B and fumarase C single, double and triple mutants were constructed in a ldhA adhE mutant background overexpressing the pyruvate carboxylase from Lactococcus lactis. All the mutants produced succinate as the main four-carbon (C4) dicarboxylic acid product when glucose was used as carbon source with the exception of the fumAC and the triple fumB fumAC deletion strains, where malate was the main C4-product with a yield of 0.61–0.67 mol (mole glucose)−1. Additionally, a mdh mutant strain and a previously engineered high-succinate-producing strain (SBS550MG-Cms pHL413-Km) were investigated for aerobic malate production from succinate. These strains produced 40.38 mM (5.41 g/L) and 50.34 mM (6.75 g/L) malate with a molar yield of 0.53 and 0.55 mol (mole succinate)−1, respectively. Finally, by exploiting the high-succinate production capability, the strain SBS550MG-Cms243 pHL413-Km showed significant malate production in a two-stage process from glucose. This strain produced 133 mM (17.83 g/L) malate in 47 h, with a high yield of 1.3 mol (mole glucose)−1 and productivity of 0.38 g L−1 h−1.
Divergent tree growth response to recent climate warming ofAbies faxonianaat alpine treelines in east edge of Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhang Yuandong , Guo Mingming , Wang Xiaochun , Gu Fengxue , Liu Shirong 
Published: December 2017

AbstractAn anomalous reduction in tree growth indices has been detected in tree ring records from many circumpolar northern latitude sites in recent years, which was known as the divergence phenomenon. In order to understand whether the divergence phenomenon appeared at altitudinal treelines in east edge of Tibetan Plateau, we analyzed the correlation coefficients between tree growth and climate variables before and after recent climate warming, respectively. The results showed that divergence phenomenon took place and varied with sites. Compared with those in 1955–1982, the correlation coefficient of growth to mean temperature in June declined during 1983–2012. In Songpan site, more than half of the sampled trees showed an increasing positive correlation with temperature from July to September, while others turned to be a negative correlation. The positive responses to the mean temperature in previous‐year November and December declined in Markang site. Only in Miyaluo site, the positive correlation between tree ring index and temperature from July to September increased. Both the anomalous reduction or disappearance of the responses to the mean temperature and the divergent growth responses suggested that the divergence phenomenon was universal at altitudinal treelines in east edge of Tibetan Plateau, which had potentially significant influences on the estimation of forest productivity and climatic reconstructions based on tree ring.