bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Thermal and high‐pressure treatment stability of egg‐white avidin in aqueous solution
Authors: Dhakal Santosh , Shafaat Hannah , Balasubramaniam V. M. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe combined pressure (0.1 and 600 MPa) and thermal (30, 65, 75, 90, and 105°C) treatment effects on the binding properties of egg‐white avidin were investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy titrations with fluorescein‐labeled biotin for various holding times (up to 45 min). Pressure treatment was carried out in a high‐pressure kinetic tester whereas heat treatment was conducted using metal tubes in a temperature‐controlled oil bath. Avidin binding activity and strength decreased by approximately three orders of magnitude with increases in temperature and holding time, while the binding free energy (−52.3 ± 0.47 kJ/mol) remained unaffected by high‐pressure (600 MPa at 30°C) treatment. The thermal inactivation rate constant ranged from 0.009 to 0.793 per min at 65–105°C, 0.1 MPa. Combined pressure (600 MPa)–thermal (65–105°C) treatment reduced the corresponding values by a factor of two to nine, resulting in inactivation rates that ranged from 0.001 to 0.422 per min. Activation energies for avidin inactivation were 120 ± 10 and 149 ± 8 kJ/mol for thermal and combined pressure–thermal treatment, respectively. In conclusion, while heat treatment alone destroyed biotin binding strength of avidin, combined pressure, and heat exhibited antagonistic effects on avidin–biotin binding energies.Practical ApplicationsHeat and pressure can have synergistic, additive, or antagonistic effects on food components. The synergistic effect is important from food safety aspect whereas antagonistic effect is desirable to retain food quality attributes during food processing. The parameters of reaction kinetic models, more specifically rate constant and activation energy can be used to evaluate the interactions of heat and pressure during food processing. Egg‐white avidin has been selected in this study to evaluate the interaction between heat and pressure. Information obtained from this study can be used to preserve egg‐white avidin binding activity for various applications including food formulations, biochemical assays and preservation, due to its enormously high binding ability with biotin.
Not your father’s homodonty—stress, tooth shape, and the functional homodont
Authors: Cohen Karly E. , Weller Hannah I. , Summers Adam P. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractTeeth tell the tale of interactions between predator and prey. If a dental battery is made up of teeth that look similar, they are morphologically homodont, but if there is an unspecified amount of regional specialization in size or shape, they are morphologically heterodont. These are vague terms with no useful functional implication because morphological homodonty does not necessarily equal functional homodonty. Teeth that look the same may not function the same. Conical teeth are prevalent in fishes, superficially tasked with the simple job of puncture. There is a great deal of variation in the shape and placement of conical teeth. Anterior teeth may be larger than posterior ones, larger teeth may be surrounded by small ones, and patches of teeth may all have the same size and shape. Such variations suggest that conical dentitions might represent a single morphological solution for different functional problems. We are interested in the concept of homodonty and using the conical tooth as a model to differentiate between tooth shape and performance. We consider the stress that a tooth can exert on prey as stress is what causes damage. To create a statistical measure of functional homodonty, stress was calculated from measurements of surface area, position, and applied force. Functional homodonty is then defined as the degree to which teeth along the jaw all bear/exert similar stresses despite changes in shape. We find that morphologically heterodont teeth are often functionally homodont and that position is a better predictor of performance than shape. Furthermore, the arrangement of teeth affects their function, such that there is a functional advantage to having several smaller teeth surrounding a singular large tooth. We demonstrate that this arrangement of teeth is useful to grab, rather than tear, prey upon puncture, with the smaller teeth dissipating large stress forces around the larger tooth. We show that measurements of how shape affects stress distribution in response to loading give us a clearer picture of the evolution of conically shaped teeth.
Contrast‐enhanced micro‐computed tomography of articular cartilage morphology with ioversol and iomeprol
Authors: ter Voert Colet E. M. , Kour R. Y. Nigel , van Teeffelen Bente C. J. , Ansari Niloufar , Stok Kathryn S. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractNon‐ionic, low‐osmolar contrast agents (CAs) used for computed tomography, such as Optiray (ioversol) and Iomeron (iomeprol), are associated with the reduced risk of adverse reactions and toxicity in comparison with ionic CAs, such as Hexabrix. Hexabrix has previously been used for imaging articular cartilage but has been commercially discontinued. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Optiray and Iomeron as alternatives for visualisation of articular cartilage in small animal joints using contrast‐enhanced micro‐computed tomography (CECT). For this purpose, mouse femora were immersed in different concentrations (20%–50%) of Optiray 350 or Iomeron 350 for periods of time starting at five minutes. The femoral condyles were scanned ex vivo using CECT, and regions of articular cartilage manually contoured to calculate mean attenuation at each time point and concentration. For both CAs, a 30% CA concentration produced a mean cartilage attenuation optimally distinct from both bone and background signal, whilst 5‐min immersion times were sufficient for equilibration of CA absorption. Additionally, plugs of bovine articular cartilage were digested by chondroitinase ABC to produce a spectrum of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content. These samples were immersed in CA and assessed for any correlation between mean attenuation and GAG content. No significant correlation was found between attenuation and cartilage GAG content for either CAs. In conclusion, Optiray and Iomeron enable high‐resolution morphological assessment of articular cartilage in small animals using CECT; however, they are not indicative of GAG content.
Hemiselmis andersenii and Chlorella stigmatophora As New Sources of High‐value Compounds: A Lipidomic Approach
Authors: Fernandes Tomásia , Cordeiro Nereida 
Published: July 2020

To unlock the potential of Chlorella stigmatophora (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta) and Hemiselmis andersenii (Cryptophyceae, Cryptophyta) as natural reactors for biotechnological exploitation, their lipophilic extracts were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy with Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR‐ATR) and Gas Chromatography‐Mass Spectrometry (GC‐MS) before and after alkaline hydrolysis. The GC‐MS analysis enabled the identification of 62 metabolites—namely fatty acids (27), aliphatic alcohols (17), monoglycerides (7), sterols (4), and other compounds (7). After alkaline hydrolysis, monounsaturated fatty acids increased by as much as 87%, suggesting that the esterified compounds were mainly neutral lipids. Hemiselmis andersenii yielded the highest Σω3/Σω6 ratio (7.26), indicating that it is a good source of ω3 fatty acids, in comparison to C. stigmatophora (Σω3/Σω6 = 1.24). Both microalgae presented significant amounts of aliphatic alcohols (6.81–10.95 mg · g dw−1), which are recognized by their cholesterol‐lowering properties. The multivariate analysis allowed visualization of the chemical divergence among H. andersenii lipophilic extracts before and after alkaline hydrolysis, as well as species‐specific differences. Chlorella stigmatophora showed to be a valuable source of essential fatty acids for nutraceuticals, whereas H. andersenii, due to its high chemical diversity, seems to be suitable for different fields of application.
Prognostic significance of carotid plaque presence in peritoneal dialysis patients and its association with the apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A1 ratio
Authors: Chen Yun , Shang Da , Shao Jie , Dai Shuqi , Ge Xiaolin , Hao Chuanming , Zhu Tongying 
Published: July 2020

AbstractAimAtherosclerosis has been reported as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in the general population. As a phenotype of atherosclerosis, carotid plaque and its influence factors are rarely discussed among dialysis patients. The study aimed to investigate the prognosis‐predictive significance of carotid plaques in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD), and explore risks factors for carotid plaque presence.MethodsIt was an observational, prospective study. Patients that had undergone stable PD for at least 3 months were recruited and divided into two subgroups: group with carotid plaques and group without carotid plaques. Cox regression model was used to identify independent predictors of all‐cause mortality, cardiovascular events (CVEs), and cardiovascular mortality. Pathogenic factors correlated to the plaque‐occurrence were explored by logistic regression and verified by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.ResultsA total of 233 PD patients were recruited. The cohort was followed for up to 86 months. The carotid plaque presence turned out to be an independent risk factor both of CVEs [hazard ratio (HR): 2.659; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.231‐5.741; P = .013] and cardiovascular mortality (HR: 3.716; 95% CI: 1.168‐11.823; P = .026). The apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A1 (ApoB/ApoA1) ratio was significantly associated with the presence of carotid plaques. ROC analysis indicated that the area under the curve of the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio was higher than that of the traditional lipid metabolism index for detecting plaque presence.ConclusionCarotid plaque presence can predict CVEs and cardiovascular mortality in PD patients. The ApoB/ApoA1 ratio is significantly correlated to the carotid plaques and the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio had a greater sensitivity than traditional lipid indices for predicting plaque presence.
The relationships between the results of contemporary tests of anorectal structure and sensorimotor function and the severity of fecal incontinence
Authors: Heitmann Paul T. , Rabbitt Philippa , Schloithe Ann C. , Wattchow David A. , Scott S. Mark , Dinning Phil G. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractBackgroundDiagnostic investigations for fecal incontinence (FI) assess the structure and sensorimotor function of the anorectum. Investigations include anorectal manometry, anorectal sensory testing, pudendal nerve terminal motor latencies (PNTML), and endoanal sonography. The severity of FI and results of investigations are often discordant and the rate of symptom resolution following treatment remains <40%. High‐resolution anorectal manometry (HRAM) and three‐dimensional endoanal ultrasound (3D‐US) have been introduced during the last decade. This study aims to assess the strength of relationships between contemporary investigation results and FI severity.MethodsAdults presenting for investigation of FI were assessed using the St Mark’s FI severity score (SMIS), HRAM, anorectal sensory testing, PNTML, and 3D‐US.Key Results246 patients were included. There were significant relationships between the SMIS and HRAM (resting pressure rs = −0.23, 95% CI = (−0.34, −0.11), P < .001; squeeze pressure (rs = −0.26, 95% CI = (−0.37, −0.14), P < .001) and 3D‐US (anterior EAS length rs = −0.22, 95% CI = (−0.34, −0.09), P = .001). The relationships between SMIS and HRAM had a greater effect size in those with urge‐predominant symptoms (resting pressure: rs = −0.40, 95% CI = (−0.57, −0.20), P < .001, squeeze pressure: rs = −0.34, 95% CI = (−0.52, −0.12), P = .003). Overall, the variance in SMIS accounted for by anorectal investigations was 8.6% (R2 = 0.098, adjusted R2 = 0.086, P < .001).Conclusions and InferencesAnorectal investigations are not strong predictors of FI severity. These findings may reflect the multifactorial, heterogeneous pathophysiology of FI, the limitations of the SMIS and anorectal investigations, and contributing factors extrinsic to the anorectum.
Intelligent humanoid robots expressing artificial humanlike empathy in nursing situations
Authors: Pepito Joseph Andrew , Ito Hirokazu , Betriana Feni , Tanioka Tetsuya , Locsin Rozzano C. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractIntelligent humanoid robots (IHRs) are becoming likely to be integrated into nursing practice. However, a proper integration of IHRs requires a detailed description and explanation of their essential capabilities, particularly regarding their competencies in replicating and portraying emotive functions such as empathy. Existing humanoid robots can exhibit rudimentary forms of empathy; as these machines slowly become commonplace in healthcare settings, they will be expected to express empathy as a natural function, rather than merely to portray artificial empathy as a replication of human empathy. This article works with a twofold purpose: firstly, to consider the impact of artificial empathy in nursing and, secondly, to describe the influence of Affective Developmental Robotics (ADR) in anticipation of the empathic behaviour presented by artificial humanoid robots. The ADR has demonstrated that it can be one means by which humanoid nurse robots can achieve expressions of more relatable artificial empathy. This will be one of the vital models for intelligent humanoid robots currently in nurse robot development for the healthcare industry. A discussion of IHRs demonstrating artificial empathy is critical to nursing practice today, particularly in healthcare settings dense with technology.
Visceral obesity and incident cancer and cardiovascular disease: An integrative review of the epidemiological evidence
Authors: Silveira Erika Aparecida , Kliemann Nathalie , Noll Matias , Sarrafzadegan Nizal , de Oliveira Cesar 
Published: July 2020

SummaryEvidence shows a strong relationship between obesity, cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, there is not enough evidence of the role of visceral obesity on both CVD and cancer. Visceral obesity may be more pro‐oncogenic than total body fat. Therefore, it is important to know whether abdominal obesity can lead to both CVD and cancer. The present integrative review aimed at evaluating epidemiological evidence on the potential connection of visceral obesity in the occurrence of cancer and CVD. The following databases were searched: SCOPUS, PubMed, Science Direct, Lilacs, SciELO, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus and ProQuest. The presence of visceral obesity can increase the risk of some specific cancer types, but there is controversial evidence about CVD risk based on sex‐specific and ageing analyses. There is enough evidence that visceral obesity increases the risk of colorectal, pancreatic and gastro‐oesophageal cancer. However, for some types of cancer such as breast, endometrial and renal, visceral obesity is a risk only in post‐menopausal women. Regarding prostate cancer, the evidence is controversial. Despite the risk of visceral obesity being consistently associated with CVD in adults, this association disappears in sex‐specific and older adults analyses. Moreover, in older adults, the results are controversial due to the use of different measures such as waist circumference and visceral adipose tissue. However, the evidence showing visceral obesity as a risk factor to CVD remains controversial. Sex differences, ageing and body mass index (BMI) category can potentially modify this association. Therefore, further epidemiological studies with analyses stratified by sex and samples including older adults aged 65 and older are needed.
Physical exercise and epicardial adipose tissue: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Saco‐Ledo Gonzalo , Valenzuela Pedro L. , Castillo‐García Adrián , Arenas Joaquín , León‐Sanz Miguel , Ruilope Luis M. , Lucia Alejandro 
Published: July 2020

SummaryWe performed a meta‐analysis of the effects of exercise on epicardial adipose tissue (EAT). A systematic search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus (since inception to 1 February 2020) of randomized controlled trials assessing the effects of exercise interventions alone (with no concomitant weight loss intervention) on EAT. The standardized mean difference (Hedges' g) and 95% confidence interval between interventions were computed using a random effects model. Ten studies (including 521 participants who had, on average, overweight/obesity) met all inclusion criteria. Interventions were supervised and lasted 2 to 16 weeks (≥3 sessions·per week). Exercise significantly reduced EAT (g = 0.82 [0.57–1.07]) irrespective of the duration of the intervention or the EAT imaging assessment method. Exercise benefits were separately confirmed for endurance (six studies, n = 287; g = 0.83 [0.52–1.15]) but not for resistance exercise training (due to insufficient data for quantitative synthesis). It was not possible to compare the effect of high‐intensity interval training (HIIT) versus moderate‐intensity continuous training (two studies, one reporting higher benefits with HIIT and the other no differences). Physical exercise interventions—particularly endurance training, with further evidence needed for other exercise modalities—appear as an effective strategy for reducing EAT in individuals with overweight/obesity, which supports their implementation for cardiovascular risk reduction.
Friendly neighbours: Hydraulic redistribution accounts for one quarter of water used by neighbouring drought stressed tree saplings
Authors: Hafner Benjamin D. , Hesse Benjamin D. , Grams Thorsten E. E. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractHydraulic redistribution (HR) can buffer drought events of tree individuals, however, its relevance for neighbouring trees remains unclear. Here, we quantified HR to neighbouring trees in single‐ and mixed‐species combinations. We hypothesized that uptake of HR water positively correlates with root length, number of root tips and root xylem hydraulic conductivity and that neighbours in single‐species combinations receive more HR water than in phylogenetic distant mixed‐species combinations. In a split‐root experiment, a sapling with its roots split between two pots redistributed deuterium labelled water from a moist to a dry pot with an additional tree each. We quantified HR water received by the sapling in the dry pot for six temperate tree species. After 7 days, one quarter of the water in roots (2.1 ± 0.4 ml), stems (0.8 ± 0.2 ml) and transpiration (1.0 ± 0.3 ml) of the drought stressed sapling originated from HR. The amount of HR water transpired by the receiving plant stayed constant throughout the experiment. While the uptake of HR water increased with root length, species identity did not affect HR as saplings of Picea abies ((L.) Karst) and Fagus sylvatica (L.) in single‐ and mixed‐species combinations received the same amount of HR water.
Loss of rice PARAQUAT TOLERANCE 3 confers enhanced resistance to abiotic stresses and increases grain yield in field
Authors: Alfatih Alamin , Wu Jie , Jan Sami Ullah , Zhang Zi‐Sheng , Xia Jin‐Qiu , Xiang Cheng‐Bin 
Published: July 2020

AbstractPlants frequently suffer from environmental stresses in nature and have evolved sophisticated and efficient mechanisms to cope with the stresses. To balance between growth and stress response, plants are equipped with efficient means to switch off the activated stress responses when stresses diminish. We previously revealed such an off‐switch mechanism conferred by Arabidopsis PARAQUAT TOLERANCE 3 (AtPQT3) encoding an E3 ubiquitin ligase, knockout of which significantly enhances resistance to abiotic stresses. To explore whether the rice homologue OsPQT3 is functionally conserved, we generated three knockout mutants with CRISPR‐Cas9 technology. The OsPQT3 knockout mutants (ospqt3) display enhanced resistance to oxidative and salt stress with elevated expression of OsGPX1, OsAPX1 and OsSOD1. More importantly, the ospqt3 mutants show significantly enhanced agronomic performance with higher yield compared with the wild type under salt stress in greenhouse as well as in field conditions. We further showed that OsPQT3 expression rapidly decreased in response to oxidative and other abiotic stresses as AtPQT3 does. Taken together, these results show that OsPQT3 is functionally well conserved in rice as an off‐switch in stress response as AtPQT3 in Arabidopsis. Therefore, PQT3 locus provides a promising candidate for crop improvement with enhanced stress resistance by gene editing technology.
The benefits and perils of job candidates’ signaling their morality in selection decisions
Authors: Yam Kai Chi , Reynolds Scott J. , Wiltermuth Scott S. , Zhang Yajun 
Published: July 2020

AbstractIn this research, we challenge the belief that positive signals of morality always increase job candidates’ appeal to interviewers. In four experiments with both experienced and novice interviewers, we find that signals of the candidates’ morality interact with the nature of the industry such that candidates who send signals of morality are less likely to be selected for jobs in a morally tainted industry, compared to neutral candidates. Moderated mediation analyses indicate that this effect is driven by a perceived lack of job fit (Experiments 1 and 2). Results of Experiment 3 indicate that this moderation effect is limited to candidates who signal morality—candidates applying for jobs in morally tainted industries who signal immorality do not enjoy a competitive advantage over moral or morally neutral candidates. Finally, the framing of the organization, that is, whether critical aspects of the organization are presented as more morally or economically oriented, within morally tainted industries helps mitigate the penalizing effects interviewers put on candidates who signal their morality—a moral frame eliminates this negative effect whereas an economic frame does not (Experiment 4). Together, these studies indicate that a job candidate's morality is a complicated and important quality that can profoundly affect his/her ratings of hireability.
Path‐Dependent Public Servants: Comparing the Influence of Traditions on Administrative Behavior in Developing Asia
Authors: Van der Wal Zeger , Mussagulova Assel , Chen Chung‐An 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThis article compares the motivations and attitudes of public servants in Kazakhstan (n = 627) and Pakistan (n = 207) by analyzing quantitative and qualitative survey data. A comparison of these two developing Asian countries with distinct administrative traditions and path dependencies contributes to the public administration literature on developing countries. This literature often treats public servants in developing countries as a single category, with little contextualization of findings. This study finds that despite an overlap in Islamic societal values, public servants’ motivations and attitudes differ: lower prosocial proclivity and more aspiration for money in Kazakhstan may be partly explained by the Soviet administrative tradition, while prosocial propensity and lower concern with pay in Pakistan may be attributed to the South Asian tradition. The authors conclude that historical legacies help explain cross‐country differences in employee motivation and attitudes. The findings also improve our knowledge about the potential of reforms within the examined conditions.