bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Lack of nutrient declarations and low nutritional quality of pre-packaged foods sold in Guatemalan supermarkets
Authors: Alarcon-Calderon Amarilys , Vandevijvere Stefanie , Ramírez-Zea Manuel , Kroker-Lobos Maria F 
Published: May 2020

AbstractObjective:To assess the presence of nutrition declarations and nutritional quality in pre-packaged food products sold in Guatemala.Design:We photographed nutrition labels of pre-packaged foods. We extracted information about declaration of energy, total/saturated/trans-fats, total/added sugars and Na content (critical nutrients). We classified all products according to their degree of processing (NOVA classification) and nutritional quality (PAHO and WHO-Europe nutrient profile models).Setting:Pre-packaged foods for sale in seven supermarkets in Guatemala City.Participants:This study did not involve human subjects.Results:We assessed 3459 pre-packaged foods, including 80 % ultra-processed, 7 % processed and 13 % unprocessed/minimally processed foods or culinary ingredients. Nutritional information was available in 3021 products (87·3 %). Energy content was declared in 87·0 %; total fats in 86·1 %; saturated fats in 81·5 %; trans-fats in 48·9 %; total sugars in 70·3 %; added sugars in 0·5 % and Na/salt in 85·5 % of products. Insufficient nutrient information made impossible to assess nutritional quality in 36·6 and 17·1 % of products with the PAHO and WHO-Europe models, respectively. Using PAHO and WHO nutrient profiles, we found that 66·2 and 50 % of food products did not meet the model’s nutritional criteria.Conclusions:A high proportion of pre-packaged foods with nutritional information available in Guatemalan supermarkets do not meet the nutritional criteria recommended by WHO and PAHO. Furthermore, a high proportion of products did not declare critical nutrients and many did not even provide any nutritional information. National regulations should consider making critical nutrient declarations (including trans-fats and sugars) mandatory for all products.
Who Embraces Technical Barriers to Trade? The Case of European REACH Regulations
Authors: Cha Yoojin , Koo Min Gyo 
Published: May 2020

AbstractTechnical Barriers to Trade are on the rise at a time when the ghost of protectionism looms large across the world economy. They are allegedly trade restrictive and some of them are more burdensome than others, particularly to foreign suppliers. The leading question of this study is who embraces technical barriers to trade better than others and why. This study examines how different countries have reacted to the REACH regulations of the European Union and what factors have motivated some, if not all, of them to harmonize their domestic policies with REACH regulations. With a random-effects ordered logistic regression analysis, this study finds strong statistical support for two out of three diffusion mechanisms – that is, transnational communication and competition pressure for exports market. The causal relationship between intergovernmental institution and the level of harmonization is found statistically insignificant. These findings imply that technical regulations, if understood correctly through communication and/or motivated by strong commercial incentives, can create upward pressure for global regulatory harmonization.
Protection of Domestic Investors under the WTO and International Investment Regimes
Authors: Lubambo de Melo Murilo 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThis paper analyses how international economic law regulates measures aimed at the protection of domestic investors against foreign investors. It evaluates the logic of investment protectionism and assesses the incentives behind foreign entry barriers. It analyses and evaluates WTO GATS cases that dealt with the issue. It then develops a framework on how the facts of the China–Electronic Payments Panel decision could be assessed in international investment treaties. Several provisions common to those treaties would be applicable to the situation and the recent US–China Economic Agreement explicitly deals with the issue. However, adjudication under investment treaties would only be possible if some procedural conditions were present. The paper concludes that international economic law already covers a range of situations related to entry barriers to foreign investments. It also suggests that states can carefully tailor both substantive and procedural treaty rules to allow for coverage, or not, of situations involving domestic monopolies.
Evidence for Active Rhyolitic dike Intrusion in the Northern Main Ethiopian Rift from the 2015 Fentale Seismic Swarm
Authors: Temtime Tesfaye , Biggs Juliet , Lewi Elias , Ayele Atalay 
Published: May 2020

AbstractMagmatic intrusions play a vital role not only in accommodating extensional stresses in continental rifts but also in feeding volcanic systems. The location, orientation, and timescale of dike intrusions are dictated by the interaction of regional and local stresses, the effect of pre‐existing weaknesses, and the composition of magma. Observing active intrusions can provide important information regarding the interaction between magmatic processes and the tectonic stress field during continental rifting. We focus on a seismic swarm that occurred in 2015 to the northeast of Fentale volcano, in the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER), and use radar interferometry to study surface deformation associated with the seismic swarm. Interferograms show a pattern of dike‐induced deformation, with a model estimate of volume change of 33×106±0.6×106m3 at a depth range of 5.4 to 8 km. We use a small baseline subset algorithm to calculate line of sight time series and find that the displacements decay exponentially with a decay constant of ∼83 days. Coupled source‐sink models suggest that such slow dike intrusions require a high viscosity rhyolitic magma. The difference in behavior between Fentale and other caldera systems in the MER, which show multi‐year cycles of inflation and deflation, suggests fundamental differences in magma composition and architecture of the plumbing system. This is the first direct observation of a dike intrusion in the MER and provides new constraints on the temporal‐spatial patterns of stress and strain that occur during continental rifting. Whether this activity is transient or a long‐term feature associated with rift evolution is an open question.
Geologic Controls on Source Water Drive Baseflow Generation and Carbon Geochemistry: Evidence of Nonstationary Baseflow Sources Across Multiple Subwatersheds
Authors: Richardson C. M. , Zimmer M. A. , Fackrell J. K. , Paytan A. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe contributions and composition of baseflow sources across an extended recession period were quantified for six subwatersheds of varying size in a structurally complex watershed in coastal California using endmember mixing analysis and related to catchment characteristics (e.g., topography, geology, land use, and soil characteristics). Both shallow subsurface and deep groundwater reservoirs were important contributors for streamflow during low flow periods, and the composition of baseflow sources across subwatersheds was directly related to geologic indices. A binary classification of underlying bedrock permeability (e.g., low vs. high) best explained the changes in shallow subsurface water and deeper groundwater inputs through the seasonal recession. Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and specific UV absorbance at 254 nm (SUVA254) were used to provide additional insight into endmember characteristics and their contributions to baseflow. Stream water DIC concentrations were broadly controlled by mixing of groundwater and shallow subsurface water endmembers with relatively constant DIC concentrations, while stream water DOC concentrations reflected both spatial and temporal changes in shallow subsurface water DOC. Results from this study show (1) the importance of considering baseflow as a dynamic mixture of water from multiple sources, (2) the effect of geology on source composition at the subwatershed scale during low flow conditions, and (3) the impact of shifting baseflow sources on stream water dissolved carbon concentrations and the utility of using dissolved carbon concentrations to obtain additional insight into temporal variability in baseflow sources.
Slip Distributions of Short‐Term Slow Slip Events in Shikoku, Southwest Japan, From 2001 to 2019 Based on Tilt Change Measurements
Authors: Hirose Hitoshi , Kimura Takeshi 
Published: May 2020

AbstractIn the southwest Japan subduction zone, short‐term slow slip events (SSEs) accompanying nonvolcanic tremor (ETS: episodic tremor and slip) occur repeatedly with recurrence intervals of several months. It is important to know the detailed slip areas of the SSEs because short‐term SSEs occur at the downdip extension of a megathrust earthquake rupture zone, and hence, the SSEs play a key role in the stress buildup processes of the megathrust earthquakes. Although most of the previous studies model a SSE fault motion with uniform slip on a rectangular fault, this may lead to a bias in estimating the slip area. In this study we estimate a spatial slip distribution for each of the short‐term SSEs from tilt offset measurements. In total, the slip distributions of 61 SSEs in Shikoku from January 2001 to March 2019 are obtained. The ETS zone in Shikoku is divided into three segments in terms of slip history of the SSEs. Before 2011, the slip areas of most of the SSEs are limited in any one of the three segments. After 2012, however, the number of SSEs having a slip area that extends to multiple segments increases. The slip histories at each position in the ETS zone suggest that the short‐term SSE activity is affected by the occurrence of nearby long‐term SSEs. The average slip rate over 18 years suggests that an estimated slip deficit in the ETS zone in western Shikoku could be released by long‐term SSEs, or coseismic slip or afterslip of the megathrust earthquakes.
Treatment-free remission in chronic myeloid leukemia: the patient perspective and areas of unmet needs
Authors: Sharf Giora , Marin Celia , Bradley Jennifer A. , Pemberton-Whiteley Zack , Bombaci Felice , Christensen Rita I. O. , Gouimi Bahija , Deekes Nigel B. , Daban Mina , Geissler Jan 
Published: May 2020

AbstractIn CML, treatment-free remission (TFR) refers to having a stable deep molecular response without the need for ongoing tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment. Whilst recommendations exist about the technical management of stopping and re-starting therapy, much is still unknown about the experiences of those considering and undertaking TFR. This study sought to obtain the patient perspective, identify areas of unmet needs and create recommendations for improvements. Fifty-six percent of patients reported fear or anxiety during treatment discontinuation, whereas only 7% of patients were asked if they needed psychological support during this period. Where patients re-initiated treatment; 59% felt scared or anxious, and 56% felt depressed. Twenty-six percent of re-initiated patients received psychological and/or emotional support at this time. Sixty percent of patients experienced withdrawal symptoms whilst discontinuing treatment, however, 40% of patients who experienced withdrawal symptoms reported that they were not fully supported by their doctor in managing all the symptoms. Healthcare professionals should further consider how they monitor the psychological well-being of patients who are discontinuing or re-initiating treatment, and review what support is offered in response to identified concerns. Surveillance of withdrawal symptoms should be a priority during treatment discontinuation, along with how healthcare professionals assist in the management of these.
Prevalence and dynamics of clonal hematopoiesis caused by leukemia-associated mutations in elderly individuals without hematologic disorders
Authors: Midic Danica , Rinke Jenny , Perner Florian , Müller Violetta , Hinze Anna , Pester Frank , Landschulze Jürgen , Ernst Jana , Gruhn Bernd , Matziolis Georg , Heidel Florian H. , Hochhaus Andreas , Ernst Thomas 
Published: May 2020

AbstractClonal hematopoiesis is frequently observed in elderly people. To investigate the prevalence and dynamics of genetic alterations among healthy elderly individuals, a cohort of 50 people >80 years was genotyped for commonly mutated leukemia-associated genes by targeted deep next-generation sequencing. A total of 16 somatic mutations were identified in 13/50 (26%) individuals. Mutations occurred at low variant allele frequencies (median 11.7%) and remained virtually stable over 3 years without development of hematologic malignancies in affected individuals. With DNMT3A mutations most frequently detected, another cohort of 160 healthy people spanning all age groups was sequenced specifically for DNMT3A revealing an overall mutation rate of 6.2% (13/210) and an age-dependent increase of mutation prevalence. A significant difference (p = 0.017) in the DNMT3A expression pattern was detected between younger and healthy elderly people as determined by qRT-PCR. To evaluate the selection of clonal hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), bone marrow of two healthy individuals with mutant DNMT3A was transplanted in a humanized mouse model. Xenografts displayed stable kinetics of DNMT3A mutations over 8 months. These findings indicate that the appearance of low-level clones with leukemia-associated mutations is a common age-associated phenomenon, but insufficient to initiate clonal selection and expansion without the additional influence of other factors.
SARS-CoV-2 infection serology: a useful tool to overcome lockdown?
Authors: Nuccetelli Marzia , Pieri Massimo , Grelli Sandro , Ciotti Marco , Miano Roberto , Andreoni Massimo , Bernardini Sergio 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has spread rapidly, inducing a progressive growth in infected patients number. Social isolation (lockdown) has been assessed to prevent and control virus diffusion, leading to a worldwide financial and political crisis. Currently, SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in nasopharyngeal swab takes place by real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). However, molecular tests can give some false-negative results. In this context, serological assays can be useful to detect IgG/IgM antibodies, to assess the degree of immunization, to trace the contacts, and to support the decision to re-admit people at work. A lot of serological diagnostic kits have been proposed on the market but validation studies have not been published for many of them. The aim of our work was to compare and to evaluate different assays analytical performances (two different immunochromatographic cards, an immunofluorescence chromatographic card, and a chemiluminescence-automated immunoassay) on 43 positive samples with RT-qPCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and 40 negative control subjects. Our data display excellent IgG/IgM specificities for all the immunocromatographic card tests (100% IgG and 100% IgM) and for the chemiluminescence-automated assay (100% IgG and 94% IgM); IgG/IgM sensitivities are moderately lower for all methods, probably due to the assay viral antigen’s nature and/or to the detection time of nasopharyngeal swab RT-qPCR, with respect to symptoms onset. Given that sensitivities (around 94% and 84% for IgG and IgM, respectively) implicate false-negative cases and given the lack of effective vaccines or treatments, the only currently available procedure to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission is to identify and isolate persons who are contagious. For this reason, we would like to submit a flowchart in which serological tests, integrated with nasopharyngeal swab RT-qPCR, are included to help social and work activities implementation after the pandemic acute phase and to overcome lockdown.
Developing reliable hourly electricity demand data through screening and imputation
Authors: Ruggles Tyler H. , Farnham David J. , Tong Dan , Caldeira Ken 
Published: May 2020

AbstractElectricity usage (demand) data are used by utilities, governments, and academics to model electric grids for a variety of planning (e.g., capacity expansion and system operation) purposes. The U.S. Energy Information Administration collects hourly demand data from all balancing authorities (BAs) in the contiguous United States. As of September 2019, we find 2.2% of the demand data in their database are missing. Additionally, 0.5% of reported quantities are either negative values or are otherwise identified as outliers. With the goal of attaining non-missing, continuous, and physically plausible demand data to facilitate analysis, we developed a screening process to identify anomalous values. We then applied a Multiple Imputation by Chained Equations (MICE) technique to impute replacements for missing and anomalous values. We conduct cross-validation on the MICE technique by marking subsets of plausible data as missing, and using the remaining data to predict this “missing” data. The mean absolute percentage error of imputed values is 3.5% across all BAs. The cleaned data are published and available open access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3690240.
Micronuclei in germ cells of hybrid frogs from Pelophylax esculentus complex contain gradually eliminated chromosomes
Authors: Dedukh D. , Riumin S. , Chmielewska M. , Rozenblut-Kościsty B. , Kolenda K. , Kaźmierczak M. , Dudzik A. , Ogielska M. , Krasikova A. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractIn most organisms, cells typically maintain genome integrity, as radical genome reorganization leads to dramatic consequences. However, certain organisms, ranging from unicellular ciliates to vertebrates, are able to selectively eliminate specific parts of their genome during certain stages of development. Moreover, partial or complete elimination of one of the parental genomes occurs in interspecies hybrids reproducing asexually. Although several examples of this phenomenon are known, the molecular and cellular processes involved in selective elimination of genetic material remain largely undescribed for the majority of such organisms. Here, we elucidate the process of selective genome elimination in water frog hybrids from the Pelophylax esculentus complex reproducing through hybridogenesis. Specifically, in the gonads of diploid and triploid hybrids, but not those of the parental species, we revealed micronuclei in the cytoplasm of germ cells. In each micronucleus, only one centromere was detected with antibodies against kinetochore proteins, suggesting that each micronucleus comprises a single chromosome. Using 3D-FISH with species-specific centromeric probe, we determined the role of micronuclei in selective genome elimination. We found that in triploid LLR hybrids, micronuclei preferentially contain P. ridibundus chromosomes, while in diploid hybrids, micronuclei preferentially contain P. lessonae chromosomes. The number of centromere signals in the nuclei suggested that germ cells were aneuploid until they eliminate the whole chromosomal set of one of the parental species. Furthermore, in diploid hybrids, misaligned P. lessonae chromosomes were observed during the metaphase stage of germ cells division, suggesting their possible elimination due to the inability to attach to the spindle and segregate properly. Additionally, we described gonocytes with an increased number of P. ridibundus centromeres, indicating duplication of the genetic material. We conclude that selective genome elimination from germ cells of diploid and triploid hybrids occurs via the gradual elimination of individual chromosomes of one of the parental genomes, which are enclosed within micronuclei.
A 3′UTR modification of the TNF-α mouse gene increases peripheral TNF-α and modulates the Alzheimer-like phenotype in 5XFAD mice
Authors: Kalovyrna Nikoleta , Apokotou Olympia , Boulekou Sotiria , Paouri Evi , Boutou Athena , Georgopoulos Spiros 
Published: May 2020

AbstractTumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine, involved in Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis. Anti-TNF-α therapeutic approaches currently used in autoimmune diseases have been proposed as a therapeutic strategy in AD. We have previously examined the role of TNF-α and anti-TNF-α drugs in AD, using 5XFAD mice, and we have found a significant role for peripheral TNF-α in brain inflammation. Here we investigated the role of mouse TNF-α on the AD-like phenotype of 5XFAD mice using a knock-in mouse with deletion of the 3’UTR of the endogenous TNF-α (TNFΔARE/+) that develops rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease. 5XFAD/TNFΔARE/+ mice showed significantly decreased amyloid deposition. Interestingly, microglia but not astrocytes were activated in 5XFAD/ TNFΔARE/+ brains. This microglial activation was associated with increased infiltrating peripheral leukocytes and perivascular macrophages and synaptic degeneration. APP levels and APP processing enzymes involved in Aβ production remained unchanged, suggesting that the reduced amyloid burden can be attributed to the increased microglial and perivascular macrophage activation caused by TNF-α. Peripheral TNF-α levels were increased while brain TNF-α remained the same. These data provide further evidence for peripheral TNF-α as a mediator of inflammation between the periphery and the brain.
Influences of landscape change and winter severity on invasive ungulate persistence in the Nearctic boreal forest
Authors: Fisher Jason T. , Burton A. Cole , Nolan Luke , Roy Laurence 
Published: May 2020

AbstractClimate and landscape change are drivers of species range shifts and biodiversity loss; understanding how they facilitate and sustain invasions has been empirically challenging. Winter severity is decreasing with climate change and is a predicted mechanism of contemporary and future range shifts. For example, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) expansion is a continental phenomenon across the Nearctic with ecological consequences for entire biotic communities. We capitalized on recent temporal variation in winter severity to examine spatial and temporal dynamics of invasive deer distribution in the Nearctic boreal forest. We hypothesized deer distribution would decrease in severe winters reflecting historical climate constraints, and remain more static in moderate winters reflecting recent climate. Further, we predicted that regardless of winter severity, deer distribution would persist and be best explained by early seral forage subsidies from extensive landscape change via resource extraction. We applied dynamic occupancy models in time, and species distribution models in space, to data from 62 camera traps sampled over 3 years in northeastern Alberta, Canada. Deer distribution shrank more markedly in severe winters but rebounded each spring regardless of winter severity. Deer distribution was best explained by anthropogenic landscape features assumed to provide early seral vegetation subsidy, accounting for natural landcover. We conclude that deer dynamics in the northern boreal forest are influenced both by landscape change across space and winter severity through time, the latter expected to further decrease with climate change. We contend that the combined influence of these two drivers is likely pervasive for many species, with changing resources offsetting or augmenting physiological limitations.