bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Contemporary Time Trends in Use of Antiplatelet Agents Among Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome and Comorbid Diabetes Mellitus or Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Desai Rishi J. , Spoendlin Julia , Mogun Helen , Gagne Joshua J. 
Published: August 2017

Study ObjectiveTo describe contemporary trends of P2Y12 inhibitor use in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and comorbid diabetes mellitus (DM) and/or chronic kidney disease (CKD) who have a higher risk of recurring ACS and may benefit from treatment with higher efficacy third‐generation agents (prasugrel and ticagrelor).DesignObservational cohort study.SettingA large U.S. commercial insurance program (2009–2015).PatientsP2Y12 inhibitor initiated within 2 weeks after an ACS event.Measurements and Main ResultsWe identified 98,649 P2Y12 inhibitor initiators, of whom 24.5% had comorbid DM (no CKD), 10.5% had CKD (no DM), and 12.6% had DM and CKD. Overall, 85.2% of patients initiated clopidogrel, followed by prasugrel (11.6%) and ticagrelor (3.2%). Prasugrel use decreased over time irrespective of preexisting DM and/or CKD; ticagrelor use increased. In logistic regression models accounting for patient demographics and clinical covariates, preexisting DM alone was not associated with prasugrel or ticagrelor versus clopidogrel treatment initiation; however, having CKD with or without DM significantly reduced the likelihood of receiving prasugrel versus clopidogrel (odds ratio [OR] 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74–0.88 for CKD alone; OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.83–0.98 for DM and CKD). Comorbid DM and CKD reduced the odds of initiating ticagrelor versus clopidogrel (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.70–0.92).Principal ConclusionsWe observed lower or similar use of prasugrel and ticagrelor compared with clopidogrel in patients with ACS and comorbid DM and/or CKD. Given the potential for worse clinical outcomes with clopidogrel in these patients, our findings highlight the need to investigate the implications of these trends on recurrent ACS and bleeding events.
Design and synthesis of triptycene based fluorescent polymer with pendent triazole: Effect of functionality on host–guest interaction
Authors: Mondal Snehasish , Jana Achintya , Bera Ranajit , Das Neeladri 
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACTFluorescent materials have emerged as one of the promising candidates for chemical sensing due to their high sensitivity towards analytes that are relatively electron deficient such as nitroaromatics (NACs). Herein, four new 1,2,3‐triazole functionalized dibromo monomers (2‐5) have been synthesized. These dibromo monomers (2‐5) have been subsequently polymerized with 2,6‐diethynyltriptycene (DET) to yield four new ethynyl linked polymers (P2‐P5) with 1,2,3‐triazole pendent. These polymers are organosoluble, amorphous in nature and have high thermal stability [Td > 289 °C and high char yield (>73%) at 800 °C]. Interestingly these new polymers (P2‐P5) are highly fluorescent in solution (Φ = 0.37–0.43 in DCM) relative to the polymer (P1) that does not have the 1,2,3‐triazole motif as a pendent. The host–guest interaction between these polymers (P1‐P5) and electron deficient molecules (PA and C60) has been investigated. The Stern–Volmer quenching constant (KSV) data suggest that the interaction of picric acid and polymers increases significantly in presence of 1,2,3‐triazole linked pendent group whereas in case of C60, the KSV value decrease considerably in presence of 1,2,3‐triazole linked pendent. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 3725–3735
Protein structure model refinement in CASP12 using short and long molecular dynamics simulations in implicit solvent
Authors: Terashi Genki , Kihara Daisuke 
Published: August 2017

AbstractProtein structure prediction has matured over years, particularly those which use structure templates for building a model. It can build a model with correct overall conformation in cases where appropriate templates are available. Models with the correct topology can be practically useful for limited purposes that need residue‐level accuracy, but further improvement of the models can allow the models to be used in tasks that need detailed structures, such as molecular replacement in X‐ray crystallography or structure‐based drug screening. Thus, model refinement is an important final step in protein structure prediction to bridge predictions to real‐life applications. Model refinement is one of the categories in recent rounds of critical assessment of techniques in protein structure prediction (CASP) and has recently been drawing more attention due to its realized importance. Here we report our group's performance in the refinement category in CASP12. Our method is based on inexpensive short molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in implicit solvent. Our performance in CASP12 was among the top, which was consistent with the previous round, CASP11. Our method with short MD runs achieved comparable performance with other methods that used longer simulations. Detailed analyses found that improvements typically occurred in entire regions of a structure rather than only in flexible loop regions. The remaining challenge in the structure refinement includes large conformational refinement which involves substantial motions of secondary structure elements or domains.
Compound‐specific amino acid δ15N values in archaeological shell: Assessing diagenetic integrity and potential for isotopic baseline reconstruction
Authors: Misarti Nicole , Gier Elizabeth , Finney Bruce , Barnes Kelli , McCarthy Matthew 
Published: August 2017

RationaleReconstructing stable isotope (SI) ratios at the base of paleo‐food webs is often challenging. For coastal systems, the SI ratios of organic matter in archeological shell represents a possible solution, providing a direct record of primary consumer SI ratios in the littoral zone. However, shell is often porous, with organic compounds susceptible to diagenetic alteration or contamination. If molecular isotopic information is well preserved, compound‐specific amino acid isotope analysis (CSI‐AA) has the potential to provide direct proxies for baseline SI ratios, bypassing many contamination issues, and to allow assessment of the diagenetic state.MethodsWe collected shell from both archeological middens and nearby littoral zones in coastal Alaska, and used a simple organic extraction approach based on decalcification with sequential weak HCl additions to liberate organic material. We measured CSI‐AA patterns, molar AA distributions, and the CSI‐AA degradation parameter (ΣV), in the context of bulk SI ratios in fossil shell, modern shell, and soft tissue from five common taxa (urchin, limpet, mussel, periwinkle, chiton).ResultsCSI‐AA patterns in both soft tissue and shell were consistent with primary consumers, and were indistinguishable in most modern and fossil shell pairs, showing that amino acid δ15N values can be well preserved in archeological shell. AA molar distributions were also similar, although most fossil shell was enriched in Asx and Gly. Comparison between CSI‐AA results from modern specimens confirmed that the source AA group (tracking isotopic baselines) are transferred without substantial modification into the shell record. In contrast, the Trophic AA group had elevated δ15N values in shell versus soft tissue for all taxa examined, suggesting that a correction factor will be required for any CSI‐AA proxies using these AAs.ConclusionsOverall, this new data indicates that the CSI‐AA analysis of fossil shell represents a promising new approach to determining isotopic baselines in coastal paleo‐ecosystems.
Carbon isotope ratios of endogenous steroids in Belgian Blue and Holstein cattle: Method development, reference population studies and application to steroid misuse control
Authors: Piper Thomas , Putz Marlen , Delahaut Philippe , Thevis Mario 
Published: August 2017

RationaleThe misuse of growth promoters in livestock and breeding animals is prohibited according to the laws of the European Union. Among these growth promoters, the detection of endogenous steroids like testosterone, estradiol or progesterone remains especially challenging as concentration‐based urinary thresholds may not provide conclusive results due to large inter‐individual variations. In addition to the detection of intact steroid esters in blood or hair, carbon isotope ratio (CIR) determination of urinary steroids has commonly been the method of choice.MethodsA comprehensive sample clean‐up procedure was developed and validated, which enables for the first time simultaneous CIR measurements of testosterone metabolites (17α‐hydroxyandrost‐4‐en‐3‐one, 3α‐hydroxy‐5β‐androstan‐17‐one and 5α‐androstane‐3β,17α‐diol), the estradiol metabolite 17α‐estradiol (ESTR) and the progesterone metabolite 5β‐pregnane‐3α,20α‐diol (PD) from a single urine specimen. As endogenous reference compounds 3β‐hydroxyandrost‐5‐en‐17‐one and 5‐androstene‐3β,17α‐diol (5EN) were chosen. The method was validated by means of linear mixing models and a reference population encompassing n = 53 Belgian Blue and Holstein cattle was investigated to enable the calculation of population‐based Δ13C thresholds.ResultsThe combined measurement uncertainty determined for the Δ13C‐values of all steroids under investigation was found to be <0.8 ‰. Within the reference population studies, 5EN was demonstrated to be the most promising endogenous reference compound resulting in comparably low Δ‐values and accompanying thresholds. For PD, a surprisingly high number of samples (n = 9) yielded significantly13C‐depleted values and ESTR was only detectable in n = 13 samples. Proof‐of‐concept was accomplished by investigating two post‐administration samples.ConclusionsThis first comprehensive investigation on the CIRs of endogenous urinary steroids demonstrated once more the potential of isotope ratios in aiding discrimination between endogenously produced and exogenously administered steroids. By means of the reference population‐derived CIRs, it is possible to apply cattle‐specific thresholds to differentiate between treated and non‐treated animals.
Grain‐scale stable carbon and oxygen isotopic variations of the international reference calcite, IAEA‐603
Authors: Nishida Kozue , Ishimura Toyoho 
Published: August 2017

RationaleThe new international reference material IAEA‐603 (calcite) for stable carbon and oxygen isotopes (δ13C and δ18O values) was released in 2016 to replace the previous reference material, NBS19 (exhausted). We examined the grain‐scale isotopic variations in IAEA‐603 for application to microscale isotopic analysis of carbonate samples.MethodsIndividual grains of IAEA‐603 were analyzed with an IsoPrime100 isotope ratio mass spectrometer with a customized continuous‐flow gas preparation system (MICAL3c). The individual grains of IAEA‐603 were observed by optical and scanning electron microscopy, and their observational characteristics (grain color and size) were compared with their stable isotope compositions.ResultsTranslucent grains (main component of IAEA‐603; grain weight, 4–132 μg) had homogeneous isotopic ratios, comparable with the grain‐scale isotopic homogeneity of NBS 19. Their average δ13C and δ18O values were the same as the recommended values determined by the IAEA. Opaque (whitish) grains (1–2 per 100 grains; grain weight, 8–63 μg) were significantly more depleted in 13C and 18O than the translucent grains.ConclusionsLow‐abundance opaque grains (1–2 grains out of 100 grains) have lower δ13C and δ18O values, suggesting that these grains should be eliminated when using IAEA‐603 for single‐grain (microscale) isotope analysis.
Location, location, location: considerations when using lightweight drones in challenging environments
Authors: Duffy James P. , Cunliffe Andrew M. , DeBell Leon , Sandbrook Chris , Wich Serge A. , Shutler Jamie D. , Myers‐Smith Isla H. , Varela Miguel R. , Anderson Karen 
Published: August 2017

AbstractLightweight drones have emerged recently as a remote sensing survey tool of choice for ecologists, conservation practitioners and environmental scientists. In published work, there are plentiful details on the parameters and settings used for successful data capture, but in contrast there is a dearth of information describing the operational complexity of drone deployment. Information about the practices of flying in the field, whilst currently lacking, would be useful for others embarking on new drone‐based investigations. As a group of drone‐piloting scientists, we have operated lightweight drones for research in over 25 projects, in over 10 countries, and in polar, desert, coastal and tropical ecosystems, with many hundreds of hours of flying experience between us. The purpose of this paper was to document the lesser‐reported methodological pitfalls of drone deployments so that other scientists can understand the spectrum of considerations that need to be accounted for prior to, and during drone survey flights. Herein, we describe the most common challenges encountered, alongside mitigation and remediation actions that increase the chances of safe and successful data capture. Challenges are grouped into the following categories: (i) pre‐flight planning, (ii) flight operations, (iii) weather, (iv) redundancy, (v) data quality, (vi) batteries. We also discuss the importance of scientists undertaking ethical assessment of their drone practices, to identify and mitigate potential conflicts associated with drone use in particular areas. By sharing our experience, our intention is that the paper will assist those embarking on new drone deployments, increasing the efficacy of acquiring high‐quality data from this new proximal aerial viewpoint.
Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells: Preclinical Efficacy and Safety in Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Manley Nathan C. , Priest Catherine A. , Denham Jerrod , Wirth Edward D. , Lebkowski Jane S. 
Published: August 2017

Abstract
Cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) remains an important research focus for regenerative medicine given the potential for severe functional deficits and the current lack of treatment options to augment neurological recovery. We recently reported the preclinical safety data of a human embryonic cell-derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) therapy that supported initiation of a phase I clinical trial for patients with sensorimotor complete thoracic SCI. To support the clinical use of this OPC therapy for cervical injuries, we conducted preclinical efficacy and safety testing of the OPCs in a nude rat model of cervical SCI. Using the automated TreadScan system to track motor behavioral recovery, we found that OPCs significantly improved locomotor performance when administered directly into the cervical spinal cord 1 week after injury, and that this functional improvement was associated with reduced parenchymal cavitation and increased sparing of myelinated axons within the injury site. Based on large scale biodistribution and toxicology studies, we show that OPC migration is limited to the spinal cord and brainstem and did not cause any adverse clinical observations, toxicities, allodynia, or tumors. In combination with previously published efficacy and safety data, the results presented here supported initiation of a phase I/IIa clinical trial in the U.S. for patients with sensorimotor complete cervical SCI.
Porous Hollow‐Structured LaNiO3 Stabilized N,S‐Codoped Graphene as an Active Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Thanh Tran Duy , Chuong Nguyen Dinh , Balamurugan Jayaraman , Van Hien Hoa , Kim Nam Hoon , Lee Joong Hee 
Published: August 2017

AbstractA nanohybrid based on porous and hollow interior structured LaNiO3 stabilized nitrogen and sulfur codoped graphene (LaNiO3/N,S‐Gr) is successfully synthesized for the first time. Such a nanohybrid as an electrocatalyst shows high catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in O2‐saturated 0.1 m KOH media. In addition, it demonstrates a comparable catalytic activity, longer working stability, and much better alcohol tolerance compared with commercial Pt/C behavior in same experiment condition. The obtained results are attributed to synergistic effects from the enhanced electrocatalytic active sites on the rich pore channels of porous hollow‐structured LaNiO3 spheres and heteroatom doped efficiency on graphene structure. In addition, N,S‐Gr can meritoriously stabilize monodispersion of the LaNiO3 spheres, and act as medium bridging for high electrical conductivity, thereby providing large active surface area for O2 adsorption, accelerating reduction reaction, and improving electrochemical stability. Such a hybrid opens an interesting class of highly efficient non‐Pt catalysts for ORR in alkaline media.
Single Cell Phenotyping Reveals Heterogeneity Among Hematopoietic Stem Cells Following Infection
Authors: MacLean Adam L. , Smith Maia A. , Liepe Juliane , Sim Aaron , Khorshed Reema , Rashidi Narges M. , Scherf Nico , Krinner Axel , Roeder Ingo , Lo Celso Cristina , Stumpf Michael P. H. 
Published: August 2017

Abstract
The hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) niche provides essential microenvironmental cues for the production and maintenance of HSCs within the bone marrow. During inflammation, hematopoietic dynamics are perturbed, but it is not known whether changes to the HSC–niche interaction occur as a result. We visualize HSCs directly in vivo, enabling detailed analysis of the 3D niche dynamics and migration patterns in murine bone marrow following Trichinella spiralis infection. Spatial statistical analysis of these HSC trajectories reveals two distinct modes of HSC behavior: (a) a pattern of revisiting previously explored space and (b) a pattern of exploring new space. Whereas HSCs from control donors predominantly follow pattern (a), those from infected mice adopt both strategies. Using detailed computational analyses of cell migration tracks and life-history theory, we show that the increased motility of HSCs following infection can, perhaps counterintuitively, enable mice to cope better in deteriorating HSC–niche microenvironments following infection.
Charting the genotype–phenotype map: lessons from the Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel
Authors: Mackay Trudy F.C. , Huang Wen 
Published: August 2017

Understanding the genetic architecture (causal molecular variants, their effects, and frequencies) of quantitative traits is important for precision agriculture and medicine and predicting adaptive evolution, but is challenging in most species. The Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP) is a collection of 205 inbred strains with whole genome sequences derived from a single wild population in Raleigh, NC, USA. The large amount of quantitative genetic variation, lack of population structure, and rapid local decay of linkage disequilibrium in the DGRP and outbred populations derived from DGRP lines present a favorable scenario for performing genome‐wide association (GWA) mapping analyses to identify candidate causal genes, polymorphisms, and pathways affecting quantitative traits. The many GWA studies utilizing the DGRP have revealed substantial natural genetic variation for all reported traits, little evidence for variants with large effects but enrichment for variants with low P‐values, and a tendency for lower frequency variants to have larger effects than more common variants. The variants detected in the GWA analyses rarely overlap those discovered using mutagenesis, and often are the first functional annotations of computationally predicted genes. Variants implicated in GWA analyses typically have sex‐specific and genetic background‐specific (epistatic) effects, as well as pleiotropic effects on other quantitative traits. Studies in the DGRP reveal substantial genetic control of environmental variation. Taking account of genetic architecture can greatly improve genomic prediction in the DGRP. These features of the genetic architecture of quantitative traits are likely to apply to other species, including humans. WIREs Dev Biol 2018, 7:e289. doi: 10.1002/wdev.289This article is categorized under:

Invertebrate Organogenesis > Flies
Adult sage‐grouse numbers rise following raven removal or an increase in precipitation
Authors: Peebles Luke W. , Conover Michael R. , Dinkins Jonathan B. 
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACTWeather and lethal control of common ravens (Corvus corax; hereafter, ravens) can affect the nesting success of greater sage‐grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), but implications of these effects in terms of the subsequent size of the breeding population are unknown. We used generalized linear mixed models to assess the effects of weather and raven removal on sage‐grouse lek trends within Wyoming, USA, from 2008 to 2015 by counting male sage‐grouse at leks within 8 circular sites each with a 16‐km diameter and 4 circular sites with a 24‐km diameter. We compared sites where U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services (WS) removed ravens the previous year (removal sites) with other areas where they did not (nonremoval sites). Wildlife Services intensified removal efforts beginning in 2012; and, 1‐year later, WS started removing ravens to benefit sage‐grouse (i.e., raven removal was conducted near prime nesting habitat for sage‐grouse). Raven densities decreased 50% from 2008 to 2014 in removal sites, but increased in nonremoval sites by 42% based on 6,255 point counts conducted at 1,154 random locations. We hypothesized that adult sage‐grouse numbers would be greater at the 30 leks in removal sites compared with the 28 leks in nonremoval sites. The top AICc model showed that the percent change in raven numbers, minimum temperatures during the brood‐period, and precipitation during the brood‐period were informative predictors of lek counts during the next year. Fewer ravens, cooler temperatures, and more precipitation were associated with more adult males on leks. Cooler temperatures and more precipitation probably increased the survival of sage‐grouse chicks indirectly by increasing their forage, while a decrease in raven numbers may have increased nest success rates. This study was one of the first to demonstrate a positive correlation between these variables and changes in the number of adult male sage‐grouse on leks in the subsequent year. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.
Predictors of emergency department attendance by people with dementia in their last year of life: Retrospective cohort study using linked clinical and administrative data
Authors: Sleeman Katherine E. , Perera Gayan , Stewart Robert , Higginson Irene J. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractIntroductionA fall in hospital deaths in dementia has been interpreted as indicating an improvement in end‐of‐life care. Whether other indicators of quality of end‐of‐life care, such as emergency department (ED) attendance, show a similar trend is unclear.MethodsRetrospective cohort study using electronic medical records from a large mental health care provider, linked to national mortality and hospital use data (2008–2013).ResultsOf 4867 patients, 78.6% (3824) had at least one ED attendance during their last year of life (mean 2.13, standard deviation 2.34, range 0–54). ED attendance increased over the time period (incidence rate ratio 1.62, 95% confidence interval 1.46–1.80 for 2012–2013 compared with 2008–2009).DiscussionED attendance in the last year of life for people with dementia is common and is increasing. Policy makers must pay attention to a broader range of indicators of poor end‐of‐life care alongside the place of death.