bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Short‐term outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection for colorectal neoplasms in a single medical center
Authors: Choo Chung‐Ho , Yen Hsu‐Heng , Yang Chia‐Wei , Chen Yang‐Yuan , Su Wei‐Wen , Soon Maw‐Soan 
Published: February 2015

SummaryBackgroundEndoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is an emerging technique for treating superficial neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract. Clinical experience of ESD for superficial colorectal neoplasms remains limited in Taiwan. The aim of this study was to assess ESD performed in a series of patients at our hospital and report the results.Materials and methodsThirty‐three patients who underwent ESD were retrospectively analyzed for tumor size, rate of en bloc resection, complete resection, curative resection, technical results, and complications.ResultsThe tumors treated using ESD were situated in the cecum (n = 6), ascending colon (n = 2), transverse colon (n = 2), descending colon (n = 4), sigmoid colon (n = 9), and rectum (n = 10). The median size of the tumors was 30 mm (range, 10–55 mm). The en bloc resection rate was 72.7%, and the complete resection rate was 66.7%. In patients with en bloc resection, the curative resection rate was 87.5%. Histopathological analysis revealed adenoma with low‐grade dysplasia (n = 18), adenoma with high‐grade dysplasia (n = 7), and adenocarcinoma (n = 8). Five patients experienced perforation, and the overall complication rate was 15.2%. None of these five patients received surgical treatment.ConclusionESD is a challenging but relatively safe procedure to treat large superficial colorectal neoplasms. However, additional experience is required to achieve higher en bloc resection, complete resection, and curative resection rates.
A Brief Review of Software Tools for Pangenomics
Authors: Xiao Jingfa , Zhang Zhewen , Wu Jiayan , Yu Jun 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Since the proposal for pangenomic study, there have been a dozen software tools actively in use for pangenomic analysis. By the end of 2014, Panseq and the pan-genomes analysis pipeline (PGAP) ranked as the top two most popular packages according to cumulative citations of peer-reviewed scientific publications. The functions of the software packages and tools, albeit variable among them, include categorizing orthologous genes, calculating pangenomic profiles, integrating gene annotations, and constructing phylogenies. As epigenomic elements are being gradually revealed in prokaryotes, it is expected that pangenomic databases and toolkits have to be extended to handle information of detailed functional annotations for genes and non-protein-coding sequences including non-coding RNAs, insertion elements, and conserved structural elements. To develop better bioinformatic tools, user feedback and integration of novel features are both of essence.
A simple and practical model for combined wave–current canopy flows
Authors: Zeller Robert B. , Zarama Francisco J. , Weitzman Joel S. , Koseff Jeffrey R. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractLaboratory experiments were used to evaluate and improve modelling of combined wave–current flow through submerged aquatic canopies. Horizontal in-canopy particle image velocimetry (PIV) and wavemaker-measurement synchronization allowed direct volume averaging and ensemble averaging by wave phase, which were used to fully resolve the volume-averaged unsteady momentum budget. Parameterizations for the drag, Reynolds stress, vertical advection, wake production and shear production were tested against the laboratory measurements. The drag was found to have small errors due to unsteadiness and the finite aspect ratio of the canopy elements. The Smagorinsky model for the Reynolds stress showed much better agreement with the measurements than the quadratic friction parameterization used in the literature. A proposed parameterization for the vertical advection based on linear wave theory was also found to be effective and is much more computationally efficient than solving the pressure Poisson equation. A simple 1D 0-equation Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) model was developed to use these parameterizations. The basic framework of the model is an extrapolation from previous 2- and 3-box models to $N$ boxes. While the resolution of the model is flexible, the filter length for the Smagorinsky parameterization has to be chosen appropriately. With the proper filter length, the $N$-box model demonstrated good agreement with the measurements at both low and high resolution. Scaling analysis was used to establish a region of parameter space where the $N$-box model is expected to be effective. The following conditions define this region: the wave-induced velocity is of similar or greater magnitude than the background current, the drag to shear length ratio is small enough to produce canopy behaviour, the wave orbital excursion is not much larger than the drag length, the Froude number is small and the canopy is under shallow submergence, yet far from emergent. Under these assumptions, the dominant balance is between pressure and unsteadiness, the drag is secondary, and the other terms are small. The simple Reynolds stress parameterization in the $N$-box model is appropriate under these conditions because the Reynolds stress is unlikely to be the dominant source of error. This finding is important because the Reynolds stress is typically one of the dominant drivers of computational cost and model complexity. Based on these findings, the $N$-box model is expected to be a practical tool for a wide range of combined wave–current canopy flows because of its simplicity and computational efficiency.
Evaluating Wine-Tasting Results and Randomness with a Mixture of Rank Preference Models
Authors: Bodington Jeffrey C. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractEvaluating observed wine-tasting results as a mixture distribution, using linear regression on a transformation of observed results, has been described in the wine-tasting literature. This article advances the use of mixture models by considering that existing work, examining five analyses of ranking and mixture model applications to non-wine food tastings and then deriving a mixture model with specific application to observed wine-tasting results. The mixture model is specified with Plackett-Luce probability mass functions, solved with the expectation maximization algorithm that is standard in the literature, tested on a hypothetical set of wine ranks, tested with a random-ranking Monte Carlo simulation, and then employed to evaluate the results of a blind tasting of Pinot Gris by experienced tasters. The test on a hypothetical set of wine ranks shows that a mixture model is an accurate predictor of observed rank densities. The Monte Carlo simulation yields confirmatory results and an estimate of potential Type I errors (the probability that tasters appear to agree although ranks are actually random). Application of the mixture model to the tasting of Pinot Gris, with over a 95% level of confidence based on the likelihood ratio and t statistics, shows that agreement among tasters exceeds the random expectation of illusory agreement. (JEL Classifications: A10, C10, C00, C12, D12)
Bioequivalence ofn-3 fatty acids from microencapsulated fish oil formulations in human subjects
Authors: Sanguansri Luz , Augustin Mary Ann , Lockett Trevor J. , Abeywardena Mahinda Y. , Royle Peter J. , Mano Mark T. , Patten Glen S. 
Published: February 2015

Fish oiln-3 fatty acids (FA) have known health benefits. Microencapsulation stabilises and protects fish oil from oxidation, enabling its incorporation into foods. The aim of the present study was to compare the bioavailability ofn-3 FA delivered as two microencapsulated fish oil-formulated powders or fish oil gel capsules (FOGC) taken with a flavoured milk in healthy participants. Formulation 1 (F1) composed of a heated mixture of milk protein–sugar as an encapsulant, and formulation 2 (F2) comprised a heated mixture of milk protein–sugar–resistant starch as an encapsulant. Participants consumed 4 g fish oil (approximately 1·0 g EPA and DHA equivalent per dose). Bioavailability was assessed acutely after ingestion of a single dose by measuring total plasma FA composition over a period of 48 h (n14) using a randomised cross-over design, and over the short term for a period of 4 weeks using an unblinded parallel design (after daily supplementation) by measuring total plasma and erythrocyte FA composition at baseline and at 2 and 4 weeks (n47). In the acute study, F1 greatly increased (% Δ) plasma EPA and totaln-3 FA levels at 2 and 4 h and DHA levels at 4 h compared with FOGC. The time to reach maximal plasma values (Tmax) was shorter for F1 than for FOGC or F2. In the short-term study, increases in plasma and erythrocyten-3 FA values were similar for all treatments and achieved an omega-3 index in the range of 5·8–6·3 % after 4 weeks. Overall, the results demonstrated human bioequivalence for microencapsulated fish oil powder compared with FOGC.
Emissions of nitrous oxide and ammonia from a sandy soil following surface application and incorporation of cauliflower leaf residues
Authors: NETT L. , FUß R. , FLESSA H. , FINK M. 
Published: February 2015

SUMMARYVegetable production systems are often characterized by excessive nitrogen (N) fertilization and the incorporation of large amounts of post-harvest crop residues. This makes them particularly prone to ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Yet, urgently needed management strategies that can reduce these harmful emissions are missing, because underlying processes are not fully understood. The present study therefore focuses on the effects of residue placement on NH3 and N2O emissions. For this, cauliflower leaf residues (286 kg N/ha) were either applied as surface mulch (mulch) or mixed with the topsoil (mix) and in situ NH3 and N2O emissions were investigated. The experiment took place on a sandy soil in Northeastern Germany during summer 2012. Residue application created a high peak in N2O emissions during the first 2 weeks, irrespective of residue placement. There was no significant difference in the emission sums over the experimental period (65 days) between the mix (5·8 ± 0·68 kg N2O-N/ha) and the mulch (9·7 ± 1·53 kg N2O-N/ha) treatment. This was also the case for NH3 emissions, which exhibited a lower initial peak followed by a prolonged decline. Measured emission sums were 4·1 ± 0·33 (mix) and 5·1 ± 0·73 (mulch) kg NH3-N/ha. It was concluded that substantial NH3 and N2O emissions can occur after high input of available organic carbon and N even in a coarse-textured soil with low water-holding capacity. Other than expected, surface-application does not enhance NH3 emissions at the expense of N2O emissions compared with residue mixing into the soil, at least under the conditions of the present study.
Unsettled Lands: Labour and land cultivation in western China during the War of Resistance (1937–1945)
Authors: LAWSON JOSEPH 
Published: February 2015

AbstractBefore the 1937 Japanese invasion of China, almost all Chinese leaders and intellectuals believed that the large-scale agricultural settlement of China's western peripheries would rapidly deliver extensive economic and social benefits. At the onset of the war, many officials from the western provinces pressed the central government to fund programmes to allow millions of refugees from Japanese-occupied territory to settle on and cultivate ‘wasteland’ (huang) on the peripheries of their jurisdictions. Influenced more by pre-War ideology than the demands of the War, central and provincial governments established ‘land settlement and cultivation zones’ (kenzhiqu) in these provinces. However, these ventures were much less well supported than their proponents had hoped. This was not only because the War strained government finances—funding forkenzhiquwas always limited relative to support for agricultural cooperatives—but also partly becausekenzhiquattempts to recruit settlers clashed with the acute labour shortage in core zones of unoccupied China, which led to the abandonment of already cultivated land there, and partly because of the mistrust between central and regional governments. Nonetheless, wartime advocacy for more land cultivation in the Northwest did have important repercussions, leading to a renewed interest in penal colonies.
Land ownership patterns associated with declining forest birds: targeting the right policy and management for the right birds
Authors: MASLO BROOKE , LOCKWOOD JULIE L. , LEU KAREN 
Published: February 2015

SUMMARYFor over a century the foundation of biological conservation has been the development of open space networks either through outright public land acquisition or appropriate management of private lands. Because both approaches come with significant trade-offs, it is critical to understand which species are found across various land ownership types so that policy tools and management actions can efficiently be targeted to do the most good. In this paper, presence-only biological data were used to create species distribution maps for 18 imperilled forest bird species that breed within the deciduous forests of New Jersey (USA). These maps, combined with publicly available, spatially explicit information on land ownership, document who owns the habitat relied on by each of these 18 species. There were significant variations in both species- and guild-specific reliance on public versus private lands, with the latter preferentially supporting nearly twice as many species as the former. Subcategories of land ownership provided support for the role of both state-owned forests and privately-owned agricultural lands in forest bird conservation; however, each landownership type supports a distinct set of species. While explicitly recognizing the need to employ diverse conservation strategies, the approach provides a solid framework for structuring forest conservation planning and policy at regional scales.
Neither the public nor experts judge species primarily on their origins
Authors: VAN DER WAL RENÉ , FISCHER ANKE , SELGE SEBASTIAN , LARSON BRENDON M. H. 
Published: February 2015

SUMMARYIn contemporary environmental conservation, species are judged in terms of their origin (‘nativeness’), as well as their behaviour and impacts (‘invasiveness’). In many instances, however, the term ‘non-native’ has been used as a proxy for harmfulness, implying the need for control. Some scientists have attempted to discourage this practice, on the grounds that it is inappropriate and counterproductive to judge species on their origin alone. However, to date, no empirical data exist on the degree to which nativeness in itself (that is, a species’ origin) shapes people's attitudes towards management interventions in practice. This study addresses this void, demonstrating empirically that both the public and invasive species professionals largely ignore a species’ origin when evaluating the need for conservation action. Through a questionnaire-based survey of the general public and invasive species experts in both Scotland and Canada, the study revealed that perceived abundance and damage to nature and the economy, rather than non-nativeness, informed attitudes towards species management, empirically substantiating the claim that a species’ perceived abundance and impact, and not its origin, is what really matters to most people. Natural resource management should thus focus explicitly on impact-related criteria, rather than on a species’ origin.
Haemodynamic impact of stent implantation for lateral tunnel Fontan stenosis: a patient-specific computational assessment
Authors: Tang Elaine , McElhinney Doff B. , Restrepo Maria , Valente Anne M. , Yoganathan Ajit P. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractBackgroundThe physiological importance of the lateral tunnel stenosis in the Fontan pathway for children with single ventricle physiology can be difficult to determine. The impact of the stenosis and stent implantation on total cavopulmonary connection resistance has not been characteriszed, and there are no clear guidelines for intervention.Methods and resultsA computational framework for haemodynamic assessment of stent implantation in patients with lateral tunnel stenosis was developed. Cardiac magnetic resonances images were reconstructed to obtain total cavopulmonary connection anatomies before stent implantation. Stents with 2-mm diameter increments were virtually implanted in each patient to understand the impact of stent diameter. Numerical simulations were performed in all geometries with patient-specific flow rates. Exercise conditions were simulated by doubling and tripling the lateral tunnel flow rate. The resulting total cavopulmonary connection vascular resistances were computed. A total of six patients (age: 14.4±3.1 years) with lateral tunnel stenosis were included for preliminary analysis. The mean baseline resistance was 1.54±1.08 WU·m2 and dependent on the stenosis diameter. It was further exacerbated during exercise. It was observed that utilising a stent with a larger diameter lowered the resistance, but the resistance reduction diminished at larger diameters.ConclusionsUsing a computational framework to assess the severity of lateral tunnel stenosis and the haemodynamic impact of stent implantation, it was observed that stenosis in the lateral tunnel pathway was associated with higher total cavopulmonary connection resistance than unobstructed pathways, which was exacerbated during exercise. Stent implantation could reduce the resistance, but the improvement was specific to the minimum diameter.
A novel FGCPW-fed flag-shaped UWB monopole antenna
Authors: Al-Zayed Ayman S. , Shameena V.A. 
Published: February 2015

A finite-ground coplanar waveguide (FGCPW)-fed compact ultra-wideband flag-shaped monopole antenna is presented. The antenna consists of a FGCPW-fed monopole asymmetrically loaded with a rectangle strip. The antenna has a compact size of 21.85 × 28 × 1.6 mm3. Parametric analysis is conducted to understand the effect of various parameters on the antenna performance. Simple design equations are presented to provide reliable initial design of the antenna if a different substrate is to be used. Constant gain and monopole-like radiation patterns are observed along the entire operating range from 3.1 to 12 GHz. Investigation of the time domain characteristics reveals that the proposed antenna exhibits excellent pulse handling capabilities.
Potential dual imaging nanoparticle: Gd2O3 nanoparticle
Authors: Ahmad Md. Wasi , Xu Wenlong , Kim Sung June , Baeck Jong Su , Chang Yongmin , Bae Ji Eun , Chae Kwon Seok , Park Ji Ae , Kim Tae Jeong , Lee Gang Ho 
Published: February 2015

AbstractGadolinium (Gd) is a unique and powerful element in chemistry and biomedicine which can be applied simultaneously to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray computed tomography (CT) and neutron capture therapy for cancers. This multifunctionality can be maximized using gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) nanoparticles (GNPs) because of the large amount of Gd per GNP, making both diagnosis and therapy (i.e., theragnosis) for cancers possible using only GNPs. In this study, the T1 MRI and CT dual imaging capability of GNPs is explored by synthesizing various iodine compound (IC) coated GNPs (IC-GNPs). All the IC-GNP samples showed stronger X-ray absorption and larger longitudinal water proton relaxivities (r1 = 26–38 s−1mM−1 and r2/r1 = 1.4–1.9) than the respective commercial contrast agents. In vivo T1 MR and CT images of mice were also acquired, supporting that the GNP is a potential dual imaging agent.
Associations of Three Well-Characterized Polymorphisms in the IL-6 and IL-10 Genes with Pneumonia: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chen Hong , Li Ning , Wan Huanying , Cheng Qijian , Shi Guochao , Feng Yun 
Published: February 2015

AbstractPublished data on the associations between three well-characterized polymorphisms in the interleukin 6 and 10 (IL-6 and IL-10) genes and the risk of pneumonia are inconclusive. A meta-analysis was performed to derive a more precise estimate. The electronic databases MEDLINE (Ovid) and PubMed were searched from the earliest possible year to May 2014. A total of 9 articles met the criteria and these included 3460 patients with pneumonia and 3037 controls. The data were analyzed with RevMan software and risk estimates are expressed as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Analyses of the full data set failed to identify any significant association of pneumonia risk with the IL-6 gene -174C allele (OR = 1.00; 95% CI: 0.98–1.03), the IL-10 gene -592C allele (OR = 1.20; 95% CI: 0.95–1.52), or the IL-10 gene -1082A allele (OR = 1.21; 95% CI: 0.99–1.49). In a subgroup analysis by pneumonia type, ethnicity, sample size and quality score, no significantly increased risk of pneumonia was found for individuals carrying the IL-6 gene -174C allele. There was a low probability of publication bias, as reflected by the fail-safe number. This meta-analysis suggests that there is no significantly increased risk of pneumonia associated with previously reported IL-6 and IL-10 polymorphisms.
Design and Application of a Novel High-throughput Screening Technique for 1-Deoxynojirimycin
Authors: Jiang Peixia , Mu Shanshan , Li Heng , Li Youhai , Feng Congmin , Jin Jian-Ming , Tang Shuang-Yan 
Published: February 2015

AbstractHigh-throughput screening techniques for small molecules can find intensive applications in the studies of biosynthesis of these molecules. A sensitive, rapid and cost-effective technique that allows high-throughput screening of endogenous production of the natural iminosugar 1-deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ), an α-glucosidase inhibitor relevant to the pharmaceutical industry, was developed in this study, based on the inhibitory effects of 1-DNJ on the activity of the β-glycosidase LacS from Sulfolobus solfataricus. This technique has been demonstrated effective in engineering both the key enzyme and the expression levels of enzymes in the 1-DNJ biosynthetic pathway from Bacillus atrophaeus cloned in E. coli. Higher biosynthetic efficiency was achieved using directed evolution strategies.
Plasma Metabolite Profiling and Chemometric Analyses of Lung Cancer along with Three Controls through Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Musharraf Syed Ghulam , Mazhar Shumaila , Choudhary Muhammad Iqbal , Rizi Nadeem , Atta-ur-Rahman  
Published: February 2015

AbstractLung cancer has been the most common death causing cancer in the world for several decades. This study is focused on the metabolite profiling of plasma from lung cancer (LC) patients with three control groups including healthy non-smoker (NS), smokers (S) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients (COPD) samples using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in order to identify the comparative and distinguishing metabolite pattern for lung cancer. Metabolites obtained were identified through National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) mass spectral (Wiley registry) and Fiehn Retention Time Lock (RTL) libraries. Mass Profiler Professional (MPP) Software was used for the alignment and for all the statistical analysis. 32 out of 1,877 aligned metabolites were significantly distinguished among three controls and lung cancer using p-value ≤ 0.001. Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis (PLSDA) model was generated using statistically significant metabolites which on external validation provide high sensitivity (100%) and specificity (78.6%). Elevated level of fatty acids, glucose and acids were observed in lung cancer in comparison with control groups apparently due to enhanced glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, lipogenesis and acidosis, indicating the metabolic signature for lung cancer.