bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of applying lactic acid bacteria and cellulase on the fermentation quality, nutritive value, tannins profile and in vitro digestibility of Neolamarckia cadamba leaves silage
Authors: He Liwen , Zhou Wei , Wang Yi , Wang Cheng , Chen Xiaoyang , Zhang Qing
Published: July 2018

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of applying lactic acid bacteria (LAB, Lactobacillus plantarum LP) (0 and 1 × 106 cfu/g fresh matter (FM)) and cellulase (0, 30, 60 and 120 U/g FM) on the ensiling characteristics of N. cadamba leaves. The experimental design was a completely randomized 2 × 4 factorial arrangement. Fermentation parameters, microbial populations, chemical compositions and in vitro digestibility of the silages were measured after 60‐day fermentation. LAB inoculation decreased the pH (p < 0.05), ammonium nitrogen (NH3‐N) proportion (p = 0.08), the concentrations of crude protein (CP, p < 0.05) and condensed tannins (CT, p = 0.07), and the microbial counts (p < 0.01) of LAB and yeasts along with increased (p < 0.01) concentrations of neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL) and hemicellulose. Cellulase addition increased (p < 0.01) the microbial populations and protein fractions and decreased (p < 0.01) the concentrations of acetic acid, cell wall components, total phenols (TP), soluble tannins (ST) and CT with increasing enzyme inclusions. The interaction of LAB and cellulase showed an effect (p < 0.01) on the NH3‐N proportion, microbial counts, fibre fractions and CP. No effect (p > 0.05) was found on the dry matter recovery and digestibility of the silages with LAB or cellulase application. Besides, high lactic acid concentration and true protein ratio, low pH and NH3‐N proportion, and a few spoilage organism counts were found in all silages, indicating a successful preservation. These results infer that, with some improvement, the ensiling characteristics and chemical compositions of N. cadamba leaves silage show specific responses to the addition of LAB inoculant or cellulase.
Pupillary instability as an accurate, objective marker of alertness failure and performance impairment
Authors: Maccora Jordan , Manousakis Jessica E. , Anderson Clare
Published: July 2018

Pupillary instability reflects alterations in autonomic nervous system activity and has been shown to reflect change in alertness. However, the extent to which it can predict subsequent performance impairment and alertness failure is not clear. Eighteen healthy young adults (group age = 21.44 ± 3.24 years, 10 men) underwent 40 hr of continuous wakefulness, completing an 11‐min Pupillographic Sleepiness Test (PST), the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale and a 10‐min Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) every 2 hr. Waking electroencephalography was recorded continuously and scored for microsleeps and slow eye movements (SEMs) during PVTs. Pupillary instability was sensitive to time awake, significantly increasing after 18 hr of wakefulness. The time course of impairment was almost identical to PVT lapses, microsleeps and SEMs. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated reasonable sensitivity and specificity of pupillary instability in correctly classifying PVT lapses, microsleeps and SEMs above individual baseline thresholds (all AUC values >0.78, p < 0.0001). Preliminary cut‐off scores ranging from 10 to 11.5 mm/min for varying impairment thresholds are proposed for young adults. If reproducible in field settings, the PST may be a strong candidate as a fitness for duty/fitness to drive tool for detecting drowsiness‐related impairment.
Discrepancies in sleep diary and actigraphy assessments in adults with fibromyalgia: Associations with opioid dose and age
Authors: Curtis Ashley F. , Miller Mary Beth , Boissoneault Jeff , Robinson Michael , Staud Roland , Berry Richard B. , McCrae Christina S.
Published: July 2018

Sleep diary and actigraphy assessments of insomnia symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) are often discrepant. We examined whether opioid dose and age interact in predicting magnitude or direction of discrepancies. Participants (N = 199, M = 51.5 years, SD = 11.7) with FM and insomnia completed 14 days of diaries and actigraphy. Multiple regressions determined whether average opioid dose and its interaction with age predicted magnitude or direction of diary/actigraphy discrepancies in sleep onset latency (SOL), wake after sleep onset (WASO) and sleep efficiency (SE), controlling for sex, use of sleep medication, evening pain and total sleep time. Higher opioid dose predicted greater magnitude of discrepancy in SOL and SE. Opioid dose interacted with age to predict direction but not magnitude of discrepancy in SOL and SE. Specifically, higher opioid use was associated with better subjective (shorter SOL, higher SE) than objective reports of sleep among younger adults, and longer subjective than objectively measured SOL among older adults. Opioid dose did not predict magnitude or direction of WASO discrepancies. In FM, a higher opioid dose increases diary/actigraphy SOL and SE discrepancies, and direction of discrepancies may depend on age. We speculate that increased opioid use combined with age‐related factors, such as slow wave sleep disruption, increased awakenings and/or cognitive decline, may impact perceived sleep.
Realization utility with adaptive reference points
Authors: He Xuedong , Yang Linan
Published: July 2018

Experimental studies have demonstrated that a typical investor derives utility of the gain and loss, relative to certain reference point, realized at each sale of a stock, and that the reference point adapts asymmetrically to the stock's prior gains and losses in that the adaptation to a gain is more substantial than to a comparable loss. This empirical finding motivates us to consider a dynamic trading problem in which an agent decides when to sequentially sell and buy a stock in order to maximize her utility of terminal wealth and realized gains and losses based on a reference point that adapts asymmetrically to the stock's prior gains and losses. We show that this agent is more reluctant to sell the stock at a loss than another agent whose reference point does not adapt to the stock gain or loss at all, leading to a higher percentage of gains realized (PGR) and a lower percentage of losses realized (PLR). We also show that when the agent weighs the utility of realized gains and losses more heavily in her investment criteria, she trades the stock more frequently, the PGR becomes lower, and the PLR becomes higher.
Type III secretion inhibitors for the management of bacterial plant diseases
Authors: Puigvert Marina , Solé Montserrat , López‐Garcia Belén , Coll Núria S. , Beattie Karren D. , Davis Rohan A. , Elofsson Mikael , Valls Marc
Published: July 2018

The identification of chemical compounds that prevent and combat bacterial diseases is fundamental for crop production. Bacterial virulence inhibitors are a promising alternative to classical control treatments, because they have a low environmental impact and are less likely to generate bacterial resistance. The major virulence determinant of most animal and plant bacterial pathogens is the type III secretion system (T3SS). In this work, we screened nine plant extracts and 12 isolated compounds—including molecules effective against human pathogens—for their capacity to inhibit the T3SS of plant pathogens and for their applicability as virulence inhibitors for crop protection. The screen was performed using a luminescent reporter system developed in the model pathogenic bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum. Five synthetic molecules, one natural product and two plant extracts were found to down‐regulate T3SS transcription, most through the inhibition of the regulator hrpB. In addition, for three of the molecules, corresponding to salicylidene acylhydrazide derivatives, the inhibitory effect caused a dramatic decrease in the secretion capacity, which was translated into impaired plant responses. These candidate virulence inhibitors were then tested for their ability to protect plants. We demonstrated that salicylidene acylhydrazides can limit R. solanacearum multiplication in planta and protect tomato plants from bacterial speck caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. Our work validates the efficiency of transcription reporters to discover compounds or natural product extracts that can be potentially applied to prevent bacterial plant diseases.
Immunity and ultrasonic vocalization in rodents
Authors: Jouda Jamela , Wöhr Markus , del Rey Adriana
Published: July 2018

Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) serve important communicative functions in rodents. Different types of USVs can be triggered in the sender, for example, by maternal separation, social interactions, or exposure to predators, and they evoke affiliative or alarming behaviors in recipients. This review focusses on studies evaluating possible links between immunity and USVs. Most studies have been performed in a murine model of maternal immune activation and subsequent evaluation of effects in the offspring. This model has received large attention in recent years because it mimics behavioral abnormalities observed in certain human neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism spectrum disorder. Although there is still some controversy, the results indicate that stimulation of the immune system of mice and rats during pregnancy affects ultrasonic calling in pups. Few studies are available on immunization during adulthood and USVs. In most cases, immune stimulation led to disease, complicating conclusions about a possible direct link between vocalization and immunity. Although much work is still needed, this is certainly a rather new and promising aspect of interactions between the immune system and behavior.
Caloric restriction combined with exercise is effective in reducing adiposity and mitigating bone structural deterioration in obese rats
Authors: Cao Jay J.
Published: July 2018

Weight reduction through caloric restriction (CR) or exercise can have opposite effects on bone. This study investigated the effects of comparable weight reduction through CR and/or exercise on body composition and bone structure in an obese rat model. Male 6‐week‐old rats were fed either a normal‐fat diet for 6 months or a high‐fat (HF) diet for 3 months and then started on different CR or exercise regimens for an additional 3 months. Compared to HF conditions, rats given HF diet plus CR at 8% (HF+8CR), HF diet plus CR at 16% (HF+16CR), or HF+8CR plus exercise (HF+Ex+8CR) had lower fat mass. In addition, HF+8CR rats had lower serum tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase and bone volume/total volume at distal femur (P < 0.05), and HF+16CR rats had lower serum insulin growth factor 1, osteocalcin, tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase, and bone volume/total volume at distal femur and 2nd lumbar vertebrae, compared to regimens that included exercise. These data indicate that while CR (e.g., HF+8CR) was detrimental to bone structure, combined with exercise CR (e.g., HF+Ex+8CR) was effective in decreasing adiposity and mitigating bone structural deterioration associated with weight reduction in obese rats.
Rapid method to obtain high quality nuclear and chromosome images directly from living cells in the Characeae
Authors: Gargiulo Gaetano M. , Gemelli Federica , Cambrea Giuseppe , Ferraro Giusy Bonanno , Crosca Alice
Published: July 2018

This study focused on a method based on the capacity of cationic dyes to stain only the nucleus and chromosomes in cells subjected to either acid or alkaline hydrolysis. The method and the squash were optimized for the Characeae and were described in detail. Nuclei from vegetative shoot apices and antheridial filament cells of unfixed, fixed and herbarium material of Nitella opaca were investigated using the Azure A or Toulidine Blue stains. Comparisons with some other staining methods, used in the previous studies, were also reported. The Azure A/Toulidine Blue method is useful to obtain clear images of chromosome morphology comparable or higher to that obtained with Feulgen or Aceto‐Orcein. It requires little time and a less complicated procedure in comparison with other staining methods.
DNA metabarcoding—a new approach to fauna monitoring in mine site restoration
Authors: Fernandes Kristen , van der Heyde Mieke , Bunce Michael , Dixon Kingsley , Harris Richard J. , Wardell‐Johnson Grant , Nevill Paul G.
Published: July 2018

Ecological restoration of landscapes is an integral part of the mining process. However, restoration is often constrained by a lack of consistent monitoring approaches. For example, the need for specialist techniques and trapping approaches often limits monitoring of fauna recovery. Application of molecular tools has made important contributions to understanding factors influencing restoration success. Here, we outline advances in next‐generation sequencing methods, especially metabarcoding of environmental DNA. These have potential to revolutionize the practical contribution of genetics to the monitoring of fauna in a restoration context. DNA metabarcoding involves the simultaneous characterization of biota using DNA barcodes. It is a powerful method to assess the biodiversity contained within environmental samples (e.g. scats, bulk arthropods, soil, water, and sediment). This review outlines the challenges associated with current approaches to monitoring faunal biodiversity throughout ecological restoration. We also demonstrate how the emergence of DNA metabarcoding could recast monitoring capacity for improved ecological restoration outcomes, while discussing current limitations of a DNA‐based approach to biodiversity assessment.
Phylogenetic relationships and biogeography of theIpsiuracuckoo wasps (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae)
Authors: Lucena Daercio A. A. , Kimsey Lynn S. , Almeida Eduardo A. B.
Published: July 2018

Phylogenetic studies addressing relationships among chrysidid wasps have been limited. There are no hypotheses proposed for the Neotropical lineages of Chrysidini other than the classic cladogram published in the 1990s by Kimsey and Bohart. Herein we present a cladistic analysis based on 64 morphological characters coded for 54 species of Chrysidini, 32 of them beingIpsiuraand 22 representingCaenochrysis,Chrysis,Exochrysis,Gaullea,Neochrysis, andPleurochrysis. The species ofIpsiurawere recovered as monophyletic and as the sister clade ofNeochrysisin all most parsimonious trees. We discuss the high plasticity of some morphological characters as evidenced by their high homoplasy in the phylogenetic results, and we clarify the main morphological changes inferred on the phylogenetic tree for this genus. The effects of the inferred homoplasy were evaluated under an implied weighting cladistic analysis, and from a probabilistic perspective with Bayesian inference. Those alternative strategies did not alter the general conclusions about the monophyly ofIpsiuraor the generic relationships in Chrysidini (changes were noticed in the species‐level relationships within certain parts ofIpsiura, where low branch support was common across all approaches). Among the species groups proposed by Linsenmaier (1985), only themarginalisgroup was recovered as monophyletic. We also evaluated the convoluted biogeographic history of the group. The resulting historical reconstructions indicate a complicated scenario of diversification of these wasps in the Neotropics, and a close association with forested biomes is discussed.
Risk of active tuberculosis among people with diabetes mellitus: systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Hayashi Shintaro , Chandramohan Daniel
Published: July 2018

Objective

To assess the risk of active TB in people with DM and the factors associated with this risk.

Methods

Systematic review and meta‐analysis. We searched the literature for studies that reported the effect of DM on TB controlled for the effect of age. Studies that had not established the diagnosis of DM prior to detecting active TB were excluded. Study quality was assessed by Newcastle‐Ottawa scale and we conducted a meta‐analysis using random‐effects models.

Results

Of 14 studies (eight cohort and six case–control studies) that involved 22 616 623 participants met the selection criteria and were included in the analysis. There was substantial variation between studies in the estimates of the effect of DM on TB. However, the pooled estimates from seven high‐quality studies showed that diabetic people have a 1.5‐fold increased risk of developing active TB vs. those without DM (95%CI 1.28–1.76), with relatively small heterogeneity (I2 = 44%). The increased risk of TB was observed predominantly among DM populations with poor glycaemic control.

Conclusion

There is evidence suggesting an increased risk of developing TB among people with DM, and that improving glycaemic control in DM patients would reduce the risk of developing TB. An integrated approach is needed to control the dual burden of DM and TB.
A regression approach to vowel normalization for missing and unbalanced data
Authors: Barreda Santiago , Nearey Terrance M.
Published: July 2018

Researchers investigating the vowel systems of languages or dialects frequently employ normalization methods to minimize between-speaker variability in formant patterns while preserving between-phoneme separation and (socio-)dialectal variation. Here two methods are considered: log-mean and Lobanov normalization. Although both of these methods express formants in a speaker-dependent space, the methods differ in their complexity and in their implied models of human vowel-perception. Typical implementations of these methods rely on balanced data across speakers so that researchers may have to reduce the data available in the analyses in missing-data situations. Here, an alternative method is proposed for the normalization of vowels using the log-mean method in a linear-regression framework. The performance of the traditional approaches to log-mean and Lobanov normalization against the regression approach to the log-mean method using naturalistic, simulated vowel-data was investigated. The results indicate that the Lobanov method likely removes legitimate linguistic variation from vowel data and often provides very noisy estimates of the actual vowel quality associated with individual tokens. The authors further argue that the Lobanov method is too complex to represent a plausible model of human vowel perception, and so is unlikely to provide results that reflect the true perceptual organization of linguistic data.
Automatic detection and classification of marmoset vocalizations using deep and recurrent neural networks
Authors: Zhang Ya-Jie , Huang Jun-Feng , Gong Neng , Ling Zhen-Hua , Hu Yu
Published: July 2018

This paper investigates the methods to detect and classify marmoset vocalizations automatically using a large data set of marmoset vocalizations and deep learning techniques. For vocalization detection, neural networks-based methods, including deep neural network (DNN) and recurrent neural network with long short-term memory units, are designed and compared against a conventional rule-based detection method. For vocalization classification, three different classification algorithms are compared, including a support vector machine (SVM), DNN, and long short-term memory recurrent neural networks (LSTM-RNNs). A 1500-min audio data set containing recordings from four pairs of marmoset twins and manual annotations is employed for experiments. Two test sets are built according to whether the test samples are produced by the marmosets in the training set (test set I) or not (test set II). Experimental results show that the LSTM-RNN-based detection method outperformed others and achieved 0.92% and 1.67% frame error rate on these two test sets. Furthermore, the deep learning models obtained higher classification accuracy than the SVM model, which was 95.60% and 91.67% on the two test sets, respectively.
Contact inhibitory Eph signaling suppresses EGF-promoted cell migration by decoupling EGFR activity from vesicular recycling
Authors: Stallaert Wayne , Brüggemann Yannick , Sabet Ola , Baak Lisa , Gattiglio Marina , Bastiaens Philippe I. H.
Published: July 2018

Ephrin signaling in densely crowded cells alters EGFR recycling to inhibit migration induced by EGF.
Absence of K13 Polymorphism in Plasmodium falciparum from Brazilian Areas Where the Parasite Is Endemic
Authors: Gomes Larissa Rodrigues , Lavigne Aline , Peterka Cassio Leonel , Brasil Patrícia , Ménard Didier , Daniel-Ribeiro Cláudio Tadeu , Ferreira-da-Cruz Maria de Fátima
Published: July 2018

Plasmodium falciparum
artemisinin-resistant parasites can be evaluated by examining polymorphisms in the kelch (
PfK13
) domain. A total of 69 samples from patients with falciparum malaria were analyzed.
Relative Roles of Listeriolysin O, InlA, and InlB in Listeria monocytogenes Uptake by Host Cells
Authors: Phelps Christopher C. , Vadia Stephen , Arnett Eusondia , Tan Yubo , Zhang Xiaoli , Pathak-Sharma Sarika , Gavrilin Mikhail A. , Seveau Stephanie
Published: July 2018

Listeria monocytogenesis a facultative intracellular pathogen that infects a wide variety of cells, causing the life-threatening disease listeriosis.L. monocytogenesvirulence factors include two surface invasins, InlA and InlB, known to promote bacterial uptake by host cells, and the secreted pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO), which disrupts the phagosome to allow bacterial proliferation in the cytosol.
A Novel Bvg-Repressed Promoter Causes
vrg
-Like Transcription of
fim3
but Does Not Result in the Production of Serotype 3 Fimbriae in Bvg
−
Mode Bordetella pertussis
Authors: Chen Qing , Lee Gloria , Craig Candice , Ng Victoria , Carlson Paul E. , Hinton Deborah M. , Stibitz Scott
Published: July 2018

In
Bordetella pertussis
, the promoter P
fim3
-15C for the major fimbrial subunit gene
fim3
is activated by the two-component system BvgAS in the Bvg
+
mode but not in the Bvg
−
mode. However, many transcriptional profiling studies have shown that
fim3
is transcribed in the Bvg
−
mode even when P
fim3
is in a nonpermissive state (P
fim3
-13C), suggesting the presence of a reciprocally regulated element upstream of P
fim3
. Here, we provide evidence that BRP is the cause of this anomalous behavior of
fim3
. Although BRP effects
vrg
-like transcription of
fim3
in the Bvg
−
mode, it does not lead to stable production of FIM3 fimbriae, because expression of the chaperone and usher proteins FimB and FimC occurs only in the Bvg
+
mode.
Direct Detection of Carbapenem-Resistant Organisms from Environmental Samples Using the GeneXpert Molecular Diagnostic System
Authors: Perry K. A. , Daniels J. B. , Reddy S. C. , Kallen A. J. , Halpin A. L. , Rasheed J. K. , Noble-Wang J. A.
Published: July 2018

Use of the Carba-R assay for detection of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative organisms (CROs) can provide data for implementation of a rapid infection control response to minimize the spread of CROs in the health care setting.
Glucose Transporters and Virulence in
Leishmania mexicana
Authors: Feng Xiuhong , Tran Khoa D. , Sanchez Marco A. , Al Mezewghi Hakima , Landfear Scott M.
Published: July 2018

Glucose transport plays important roles for
in vitro
growth of insect-stage promastigotes and especially for viability of intramacrophage mammalian host-stage amastigotes of
Leishmania mexicana
. However, the roles of the three distinct glucose transporters, GT1, GT2, and GT3, in parasite viability inside macrophages and virulence in mice have not been fully explored. Parasite lines expressing GT1 or GT2 alone were strongly impaired in growth inside macrophages, but lines expressing GT3 alone infected macrophages and caused lesions in mice as robustly as wild-type parasites. Notably, GT3 localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum of intracellular amastigotes, suggesting a potential role for salvage of glucose from that organelle for viability of infectious amastigotes. This study establishes the unique role of GT3 for parasite survival inside host macrophages and for robust virulence in infected animals.
Association of dietary macronutrient composition and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in an ageing population: the Rotterdam Study
Authors: Alferink Louise JM , Kiefte-de Jong Jessica C , Erler Nicole S , Veldt Bart J , Schoufour Josje D , de Knegt Robert J , Ikram M Arfan , Metselaar Herold J , Janssen Harry LA , Franco Oscar H , Darwish Murad Sarwa
Published: July 2018

Objective

A healthy lifestyle is the first-line treatment in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but specific dietary recommendations are lacking. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether dietary macronutrient composition is associated with NAFLD.

Design

Participants from the Rotterdam Study were assessed on (1) average intake of macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate, fat, fibre) using a Food Frequency Questionnaire and (2) NAFLD presence using ultrasonography, in absence of excessive alcohol, steatogenic drugs and viral hepatitis. Macronutrients were analysed using the nutrient density method and ranked (Q1–Q4). Logistic regression analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle and metabolic covariates. Moreover, analyses were adjusted for and stratified by body mass index (BMI) (25 kg/m2). Also, substitution models were built.

Results

In total, 3882 participants were included (age 70±9, 58% female). NAFLD was present in 1337 (34%) participants of whom 132 were lean and 1205 overweight. Total protein was associated with overweight NAFLD after adjustment for sociodemographic and lifestyle covariates (ORQ4vsQ1 1.40; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.77). This association was driven by animal protein (ORQ4vsQ1 1.54; 95% CI 1.20 to 1.98). After adjustment for metabolic covariates, only animal protein remained associated with overweight NAFLD (ORQ4vsQ1 1.36; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.77). Monosaccharides and disaccharides were associated with lower overall NAFLD prevalence (ORQ4vsQ1 0.66; 95% CI 0.52 to 0.83) but this effect diminished after adjustment for metabolic covariates and BMI. No consistent associations were observed for fat subtypes or fibre. There were no substitution effects.

Conclusion

This large population-based study shows that high animal protein intake is associated with NAFLD in overweight, predominantly aged Caucasians, independently of well-known risk factors. Contrary to previous literature, our results do not support a harmful association of monosaccharides and disaccharides with NAFLD.
The effect of early growth patterns and lung function on the development of childhood asthma: a population based study
Authors: Casas Maribel , den Dekker Herman T , Kruithof Claudia J , Reiss Irwin K , Vrijheid Martine , Sunyer Jordi , de Jongste Johan C , Jaddoe Vincent W V , Duijts Liesbeth
Published: July 2018

Background

Infant weight gain is associated with lower lung function and a higher risk of childhood asthma. Detailed individual childhood growth patterns might be better predictors of childhood respiratory morbidity than the difference between two weight and height measurements. We assessed the associations of early childhood growth patterns with lung function and asthma at the age of 10 years and whether the child’s current body mass index (BMI) influenced any association.

Methods

We derived peak height and weight growth velocity, BMI at adiposity peak, and age at adiposity peak from longitudinally measured weight and height data in the first 3 years of life of 4435 children enrolled in a population-based prospective cohort study. At 10 years of age, spirometry was performed and current asthma was assessed by questionnaire. Spirometry outcomes included forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio, and forced expiratory flow after exhaling 75% of vital capacity (FEF75).

Results

Greater peak weight velocity was associated with higher FVC but lower FEV1/FVC and FEF75. Greater BMI at adiposity peak was associated with higher FVC and FEV1 but lower FEV1/FVC and FEF75. Greater age at adiposity peak was associated with higher FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC and FEF75, particularly in children with a small size at birth, and lower odds of current asthma in boys. The child’s current BMI only explained the associations of peak weight velocity and BMI at adiposity peak with FVC and FEV1. Peak height velocity was not consistently associated with impaired lung function or asthma.

Conclusion

Peak weight velocity and BMI at adiposity peak were associated with reduced airway patency in relation to lung volume, whereas age at adiposity peak was associated with higher lung function parameters and lower risk of asthma at 10 years, particularly in boys.
Microneurographic characterization of sympathetic responses during 1-leg exercise in young and middle-aged humans
Authors: Notarius Catherine F. , Millar Philip J. , Doherty Connor J. , Incognito Anthony V. , Haruki Nobuhiko , O’Donnell Emma , Floras John S.
Published: July 2018

Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) at rest increases with age. However, the influence of age on MSNA recorded during dynamic leg exercise is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that aging attenuates the sympatho-inhibitory response observed in young subjects performing mild to moderate 1-leg cycling. After predetermining peak oxygen uptake, we compared contra-lateral fibular nerve MSNA during 2 min each of mild (unloaded) and moderate (30%–40% of the work rate at peak oxygen uptake, halved for single leg) 1-leg cycling in 18 young (age, 23 ± 1 years (mean ± SE)) and 18 middle-aged (age, 57 ± 2 years) sex-matched healthy subjects. Mean height, weight, resting heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and percent predicted peak oxygen uptake were similar between groups. Middle-aged subjects had higher resting MSNA burst frequency and incidence (P < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.04). During moderate 1-leg cycling, older subjects’ systolic blood pressure increased more (+21 ± 5 vs. +10 ± 1 mm Hg; P = 0.02) and their fall in MSNA burst incidence was amplified (−19 ± 2 vs. −11 ± 2 bursts/100 heart beats; P = 0.01) but because heart rate rose less (+15 ± 3 vs. +19 ± 2 bpm; P = 0.03), exercise induced similar reductions in burst frequency (P = 0.25). Contrary to our initial hypothesis, with advancing age, mild- to moderate-intensity dynamic leg exercise elicits a greater rise in systolic blood pressure and a larger fall in MSNA.
Self-reported physical activity level does not alter whole-body total heat loss independently of aerobic fitness in young adults during exercise in the heat
Authors: Lamarche Dallon T. , Notley Sean R. , Poirier Martin P. , Kenny Glen P.
Published: July 2018

We evaluated whether self-reported physical activity (PA) level modulates whole-body total heat loss (WB-THL) as assessed using direct calorimetry in 10 young adults (aged 22 ± 3 years) matched for rate of peak oxygen consumption (an index for aerobic fitness), but of low and high self-reported PA, during 3 incremental cycling bouts (∼39%, 52%, and 64% peak oxygen consumption) in the heat (40 °C). We showed that level of self-reported PA does not appear to influence WB-THL independently of peak oxygen consumption.
Aminoacidemia following ingestion of native whey protein, micellar casein, and a whey-casein blend in young men
Authors: Traylor Daniel A. , Gorissen Stefan H.M. , Hopper Hannah , Prior Todd , McGlory Chris , Phillips Stuart M.
Published: July 2018

We examined the aminoacidemic, glycemic, and insulinemic responses following ingestion of 25 g of native whey protein, micellar casein, and a 1:1 blend of whey and casein in randomized order in young adult men. Blood samples were drawn at baseline and at regular intervals for 6 h following ingestion. Area under curve and peak plasma essential amino acid concentrations after the ingestion of the protein blend were similar to whey and greater compared with casein.
Evaluating stability of anisotropically deposited soil slopes
Authors: Zhu H. , Zhang L.M. , Xiao T.
Published: July 2018

Natural soils often exhibit an anisotropic fabric pattern as a result of soil deposition, weathering or filling. This study aims to investigate the effects of spatially variable anisotropic soil fabric in a slope on its safety factor and failure mechanisms, and to identify the critical fabric orientation that is most unfavorable to the slope stability. The strength properties of colluvium (i.e., cohesion and friction angle) are modeled as random fields under two conditions (i.e., independent and negatively correlated). The study reveals that there exists a critical fabric orientation at 30° at which the mean factor of safety is the lowest and the probability of failure is the highest. The negative cross-correlation between soil shear strength properties leads to a significantly lower probability of failure, compared to the independent case. The highest proportion of deep failure mechanism is also identified at the same fabric orientation of 30°. The identified critical fabric orientation is gentler than the slope inclination. This study suggests that the conventional understanding that stratification parallel to the slope surface appears to be the most unfavorable condition leading to the lowest safety level does not hold for spatially varying soils.
Does a spatiotemporal closure to fishing Chrysophrys auratus (Sparidae) spawning aggregations also protect individuals during migration?
Authors: Crisafulli B.M. , Fairclough D.V. , Keay I.S. , Lewis P. , How J.R. , Ryan K.L. , Taylor S.M. , Wakefield C.B.
Published: July 2018

Understanding migration dynamics of fishes that aggregate-spawn is critical if spatiotemporal closures to fishing are expected to protect them. Concern over fishing of Chrysophrys auratus spawning aggregations in embayments near a west Australian city led to an annual 4-month spatial fishing closure. However, the extent to which it protects fish migrating to and from aggregations is unclear. Acoustic telemetry demonstrated a bimodal pattern of entry to and departure from the main embayment via only one of several pathways. Among years, 33%–56% of fish occurred in the pathway prior to the closure, but most left before it ceased. Fish were detected within the closure in multiple but not always consecutive years. Variation in migration timing and aggregation philopatry may alter capture risk, but pre- and postspawning migratory fish are fished in the main pathway and adjacent reefs, which would presumably impact spawning aggregation biomass. Assessment of this would assist in understanding whether expansion of the closure’s spatial and temporal limits is necessary to ensure spawning biomass or whether current management is sufficient.
Solar quiet variation of the horizontal and vertical components of geomagnetic field using wavelet analysis
Authors: Falayi E.O. , Ogundile O.O. , Adepitan J.O. , Okusanya A.A.
Published: July 2018

The solar quiet (Sq) variations of horizontal and vertical (SqH and SqZ) components of the geomagnetic field obtained from both the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere of the International Real-Time Magnetic Observatory Network (INTERMAGNET) during solar maximum year 2001 were investigated. The results show enlargement of the SqH component of the geomagnetic field during the daytime, attributed to equatorial electrojet (EEJ) current closer to the geomagnetic equator at the electrojet stations (BNG and MBO), which are produced from large eastward flow of the current. It was observed that SqZ is positive at the southward and negative at the northward hemispheres. SqZ is amplified at HER and HBK around the daytime. Wavelet power spectrum based approach was employed to analyse the SqH, SqZ, and rate of induction (SqZ/SqH) time series in a sequence of time scaling from January to December. The higher energy of SqH and SqZ of the wavelet coefficients is noticeable at high frequency. The monthly variation rate of induction (SqZ/SqH) analyses during the Sq variations are associated with the influence of equatorwards penetration of electric fields from the field-aligned current, Earth conductivity, effect of the ocean, and ionospheric conductivity.
4He versus 4Li and production of light nuclei in relativistic heavy-ion collisions
Authors: Bazak Sylwia , Mrówczyński Stanisław
Published: July 2018

We propose to measure the yields of 4He and 4Li in relativistic heavy-ion collisions to clarify a mechanism of light nuclei production. Since the masses of 4He and 4Li are almost equal, the yield of 4Li predicted by the thermal model is five times bigger than that of 4He which reflects the different numbers of internal degrees of freedom of the two nuclides. Their internal structures are, however, very different: the alpha particle is well bound and compact while 4Li is weakly bound and loose. Within the coalescence model, the ratio of yields of 4Li to 4He is shown to be significantly smaller than that in the thermal model and the ratio decreases fast from central to peripheral collisions of relativistic heavy-ion collisions because the coalescence rate strongly depends on the nucleon source radius. Since the nuclide 4Li is unstable and it decays into 3He and p after roughly 30 fm/c, the yield of 4Li can be experimentally obtained through a measurement of the 3He[Formula: see text]p correlation function.
Stability analysis and applications of traveling wave solutions of three-dimensional nonlinear modified Zakharov–Kuznetsov equation in a magnetized plasma
Authors: Abdullah  , Seadawy Aly R. , Wang Jun
Published: July 2018

Propagation of three-dimensional nonlinear solitary waves in a magnetized electron–positron plasma is analyzed. Modified extended mapping method is further modified and applied to three-dimensional nonlinear modified Zakharov–Kuznetsov equation to find traveling solitary wave solutions. As a result, electrostatic field potential, electric field, magnetic field and quantum statistical pressure are obtained with the aid of Mathematica. The new exact solitary wave solutions are obtained in different forms such as periodic, kink and anti-kink, dark soliton, bright soliton, bright and dark solitary waves, etc. The results are expressed in the forms of trigonometric, hyperbolic, rational and exponential functions. The electrostatic field potential and electric and magnetic fields are shown graphically. The soliton stability of these solitary wave solutions is analyzed. These results demonstrate the efficiency and precision of the method that can be applied to many other mathematical physical problems.
Effect of the Wigner–Dunkl algebra on the Dirac equation and Dirac harmonic oscillator
Authors: Sargolzaeipor S. , Hassanabadi H. , Chung W. S.
Published: July 2018

In this work, we study the Dirac equation and Dirac harmonic oscillator in one-dimensional via the Dunkl algebra. By using Dunkl derivative, we solve the momentum operator and Hamiltonian that include the reflection symmetry. Based on the concept of the Wigner–Dunkl algebra and the functional analysis method, we have obtained the energy eigenvalue equation and the corresponding wave function for Dirac harmonic oscillator and Dirac equation, respectively. It is shown all results in the limit state satisfied what we had expected before.
The XYZ states revisited
Authors: Yuan Chang-Zheng
Published: July 2018

The BESIII and the LHCb became the leading experiments in the study of the exotic states after the Belle and BaBar experiments finished their data taking in the first decade of this century. We review the progress in the study of the XYZ states at BESIII and LHCb experiments with their unique data samples in [Formula: see text] annihilation at center-of-mass energies of 3.8–4.6 GeV and in [Formula: see text] collision at center-of-mass energies 7, 8, and 13 TeV, respectively. With these data samples, we have deepened our understanding of the most famous charmonium-like states [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text], as well as other similar states like the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. We review the progress in the study of these states and also discuss perspectives at future experiments.
GAMMA IRRADIATION-INDUCED CHEMICAL DECOMPOSITION-RELATED BANDGAP ENGINEERING IN SnO2 NANOPARTICLES
Authors: AHMAD ISHAQ , KHAN ABDUL FAHEEM , SHAH ATTAULLAH , TABASSUM HINA , DIALLO ABDULLA , IQBAL JAVED , EZEMA F. I. , MALIK MAAZA
Published: July 2018

Gamma irradiation-induced chemical decomposition and related phase transformation from SnO2 nanoparticles (NPs) to SnO have been studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV–Vis spectroscopy. XRD studies show that the SnO2NPS are crystalline in nature with rutile structure. Crystallinity of the NPs increases with the increase of gamma irradiation doses, which is consistent with the results of TEM. At high gamma irradiation doses, SnO phase appears from SnO2 matrix, which pushes the SnO2 phase toward stoichiometry. The band gap energy has been found in the range of 3.84–3.76[Formula: see text]eV, larger than the band gap of bulk SnO2. The larger band gap is attributed due to small particle size, which is confirmed by TEM studies. Optical reflectance and band gap decrease with the increase of gamma irradiation doses due to creation of defects. This property of SnO2 NPs makes it suitable for use in optical devices.
ANALYZING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF LANDFILL LEACHATE ON EXPANSIVE SOIL AND ITS IMPACT ON LINER MATERIALS REINFORCED WITH DISCRETE RANDOM FIBERS
Authors: RAJAPRIYA R. , POONGUZHALI N. , MURUGAIYAN V.
Published: July 2018

This research work is an insight into the various properties of liner materials utilized in landfill sites to control the leachate. Although expansive clay soil is inorganic, it is problematic. The soil owes this aspect to erratic fluctuations in its behavior due to the movement of water. Urbanization, increase in population and industries generate enormous amounts of waste in different forms. Disposal of these wastes in the landfill without any scientific manner creates a major problem to the surrounding soil and groundwater. In this study, an attempt was taken to identify the effect of soil properties and groundwater quality due to the continuous generation of leachate in the dumping sites. To prevent such an environmental problem, highly impermeable sand–bentonite mixture is used as a liner material in the waste disposal sites. Therefore, various mixtures of sand–bentonite were prepared by varying sand contents and different sieve sizes, i.e. 2–0.075[Formula: see text]mm; 2–0.425[Formula: see text]mm and 0.425–0.075[Formula: see text]mm were used. And also to improve the strength and hydraulic conductivity of the liner materials, discrete random fiber is mixed with various proportions to these mixtures and examined.
Kinetic Responses to Unilateral Constraint of the Metatarsophalangeal Joints During Bipedal Walking
Authors: Liu Yixiang , Zang Xizhe , Zhang Niansong , Liu Yubin
Published: July 2018

The paper was published without confirmation from a ‘contributor’, and after mutual agreement they decided to retract the paper.
EFFECT OF LEADERSHIP STYLES ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE: MEDIATING ROLES OF EXPLOITATIVE AND EXPLORATORY INNOVATIONS CASE OF KNOWLEDGE-INTENSIVE FIRMS
Authors: BERRAIES SARRA , BCHINI BELGACEM
Published: July 2018

The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of transformational and transactional leadership styles on firms’ financial performance in a context of knowledge-intensive firms and the mediating role of exploitative and exploratory innovations in this relationship. To achieve this purpose, a quantitative research was conducted on 201 top executives working in knowledge-intensive firms in the context of an emerging country, namely Tunisia. The data analysis was performed via the structural equation modelling method. As a result, the empirical study revealed that the transformational leadership style is a key determinant of exploitative and exploratory innovations and firms’ financial performance. In this perspective, the two types of innovation partially mediate the link between transformational leadership and financial performance. However, transactional leadership affects only exploitative innovation. This original study offers a better understanding of the contribution of the transformational and transactional leadership styles on exploitative and exploratory innovations and the firms’ financial performance in a context of firms’ intensive knowledge. It offers a reading grid for managers of knowledge-intensive firms to better lead and identify key elements that may boost the firms’ innovation ambidexterity and performance.
APPLICATION DEVELOPER ENGAGEMENT IN OPEN SOFTWARE PLATFORMS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF APPLE IOS AND GOOGLE ANDROID DEVELOPERS
Authors: SCHAARSCHMIDT MARIO , HOMSCHEID DIRK , KILIAN THOMAS
Published: July 2018

Platform operators rely on external contributions that complement their own development activities. Although previous research has analysed which conditions are beneficial in attracting developers, only scant research is concerned with the motivation and work behaviour of application developers. The authors survey 395 Apple iOS and Android developers to test a model of perceived platform openness, developer work motivation, and resulting behaviour that builds upon self-determination theory. The findings suggest that future research would benefit from a more thorough consideration of platform openness, as not all paths of the model are equally strong for open vs closed platforms.
The macrofauna of the Vale House Flints Member (Burnham Chalk Formation, Upper Turonian, Late Cretaceous) of Lincolnshire and a palaeoenvironmental reconstruction
Authors: Green John P.
Published: July 2018

The Burnham Chalk Formation (Upper Cretaceous) in Lincolnshire is particularly well exposed at the large disused quarry at North Ormsby and, in north Lincolnshire, at the Ulceby Vale quarry. Biostratigraphical collecting by the author over a period of more than twenty years, in particular at North Ormsby, has yielded a large and varied fauna from the relatively fossiliferous interval between the Wootton Marls and the Ulceby Marl. This fauna is described herein, and is placed within the context of a reconstructed palaeoenvironmental setting.
The first British occurrence of khaidarkanite from Great Sled Dale, Angram Common, Keld, Swaledale, North Yorkshire, UK
Authors: Cotterell T. F. , Dossett I.
Published: July 2018

The rare cyanotrichite group mineral khaidarkanite is reported here for the first time in the British Isles, derived from highly oxidized, copper-bearing, fluorite-rich veinstone at remote trial workings at Great Sled Dale, Swaledale, North Yorkshire. The khaidarkanite is undoubtedly of supergene origin and appears to have formed in preference to the more common cyanotrichite due to the presence of primary fluorite, which provided the necessary fluorine ions during oxidation of the veinstone.
Submarine landslide catalogue onshore/offshore harmonization: Spain as a case study
Authors: León Ricardo , García-Davalillo Juan Carlos , Casas David , Giménez-Moreno Carmen Julia
Published: July 2018

This paper presents a Geographic Information System catalogue of the submarine landslides of the Spanish continental margin and describes the problems associated with harmonizing the catalogue with its onshore homologue. The data model structure is described to explain how to apply the rules and specifications following the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE). Because of the singularities of the marine environment compared with those of land, integrating the submarine landslide catalogues into INSPIRE specifications requires the following procedures: (1) simplification of the list of values of state of activity into three categories: active, dormant and relict; and (2) inclusion of debris avalanches and turbidites as new typologies of landslides. This paper discusses the problems associated with harmonizing different data types and units from different sources, such as the thickness (metres and seismic two travel time) or the age of the event, and a numeric code for the geological timescale is proposed to harmonize these data. We establish whether an item is required based on the reliability of the landslide event, which is categorized by three levels (high–middle–low) depending on the precision of the data source, methodology used and quality of the publication where the data are obtained.