bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prebiotic effect of inulin-type fructans on faecal microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in type 2 diabetes: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Birkeland Eline , Gharagozlian Sedegheh , Birkeland Kåre I. , Valeur Jørgen , Måge Ingrid , Rud Ida , Aas Anne-Marie 
Published: May 2020

Abstract
Purpose
Compared to a healthy population, the gut microbiota in type 2 diabetes presents with several unfavourable features that may impair glucose regulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prebiotic effect of inulin-type fructans on the faecal microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods
The study was a placebo controlled crossover study, where 25 patients (15 men) aged 41–71 years consumed 16 g of inulin-type fructans (a mixture of oligofructose and inulin) and 16-g placebo (maltodextrin) for 6 weeks in randomised order. A 4-week washout separated the 6 weeks treatments. The faecal microbiota was analysed by high-throughput 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and SCFA in faeces were analysed using vacuum distillation followed by gas chromatography.

Results
Treatment with inulin-type fructans induced moderate changes in the faecal microbiota composition (1.5%, p = 0.045). A bifidogenic effect was most prominent, with highest positive effect on operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of Bifidobacterium adolescentis, followed by OTUs of Bacteroides. Significantly higher faecal concentrations of total SCFA, acetic acid and propionic acid were detected after prebiotic consumption compared to placebo. The prebiotic fibre had no effects on the concentration of butyric acid or on the overall microbial diversity.

Conclusion
Six weeks supplementation with inulin-type fructans had a significant bifidogenic effect and induced increased concentrations of faecal SCFA, without changing faecal microbial diversity. Our findings suggest a moderate potential of inulin-type fructans to improve gut microbiota composition and to increase microbial fermentation in type 2 diabetes.

Trial registration
The trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02569684).
Assessing the Efficiency of Seepage Control Measures in Earthfill Dams
Authors: Torabi Haghighi Ali , Tuomela Anne , Hekmatzadeh Ali Akbar 
Published: May 2020

AbstractSeepage control in earthfill dams is a major concern during different phases of dam construction and operation. More than 30% of earthfill dam failures occur due to uncontrolled flow in the dam body and foundation. Seepage control measures, designed and installed at suspected sites of uncontrolled flow, thus play a vital role in stabilizing earthfill dams. However, the actual efficiency of seepage control measures often falls short of expected performance due to soil heterogeneity and changes over time. Assessing the performance of seepage control measures based on monitoring and modeling is necessary to avoid abrupt failures in earthfill dams. In this study, we developed a novel method for quantifying the efficiency of seepage control measures in earthfill dams based on combined seepage modeling and monitoring data. We tested the method by applying it to assess the efficiency of seepage control components at the Doroudzan dam, Iran. The results revealed that the overall efficiency of the dam’s seepage control measures (depending on water level in the reservoir) was 51–70%, based on the magnitude of discharged flow. The efficiency of three major seepage control devices, the chimney drain, cutoff wall, and grouting diaphragm in the left abutment, was 76–82%, 68–74%, and 16–19%, respectively.
Semi-empirical predictive equations for the initial amplitude of submarine landslide-generated waves: applications to 1994 Skagway and 1998 Papua New Guinea tsunamis
Authors: Sabeti Ramtin , Heidarzadeh Mohammad 
Published: May 2020

AbstractAccurate predictions of maximum initial wave amplitude are essential for coastal impact assessment of tsunami waves generated by submarine landslides. Here, we analyse the existing predictive equations for the maximum initial amplitude ($$ \eta_{\text{max} } $$ηmax) of submarine landslide-generated waves and study their performance in reproducing real-world landslide incidents. Existing equations include various landslide parameters such as specific gravity (γs), initial submergence (d), slide length (B), width (w), thickness (T) and slope angle (θ). To determine how landslide parameters affect wave amplitude, we conduct a systematic sensitivity analysis. Results indicate that the slide volume (V = B × w × T) anddare among the most sensitive parameters. The data from the 1994 Skagway (observed$$ \eta_{\text{max} } $$ηmax: 1.0–2.0 m) and 1998 Papua New Guinea (PNG) (observed$$ \eta_{\text{max} } $$ηmax: 10–16 m) incidents provided valuable benchmarks for evaluating the performance of the existing equations. The predicted maximum initial amplitudes of 0.03–686.5 m and 3.7–6746.0 m were obtained for the 1994 and 1998 events, respectively, indicating a wide range for wave amplitudes. The predicted estimates for the smaller-sized event, i.e. the 1994 Skagway, appear to be more accurate than those made for the larger event, i.e. the 1998 PNG case. We develop a new predictive equation by fitting an equation to actual submarine landslide tsunamis:$$ \eta_{ \text{max} } = 50.67 \left( {\frac{V}{d}} \right)^{0.34} $$ηmax=50.67Vd0.34, whereVis the slide volume (km3),dis initial submergence depth (m), and$$ \eta_{\text{max} } $$ηmaxis in metres. Our new equation gives wave amplitudes of 1.6 m and 7.8 m for the 1994 and 1998 landslide tsunamis, respectively, which are fairly consistent with real observations.
Impact of vegetation succession on leaf-litter-soil C:N:P stoichiometry and their intrinsic relationship in the Ziwuling Area of China’s Loess Plateau
Authors: Wang Zongfei , Zheng Fenli 
Published: May 2020

AbstractLong-term natural vegetation succession plays a substantial role in the accumulation and distribution of plant and soil C:N:P stoichiometry. However, how plant and soil C:N:P relationships or ratios change along with successional stages over a century in the severely eroded areas remain unclear. These were measured over a 100-year natural succession in five successional stages from annual grasses to climax forests. The results show that natural succession had significant effects on carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) concentrations in leaf-litter-soil and their ratios in severely eroded areas. Nitrogen concentrations and N:P ratios in leaf and litter increased from annual grasses to the shrub stage and then decreased in the late successional forest stages. Leaf P levels decreased from annual grasses to shrub stages and did not significantly change during late successional stages. Litter P concentration decreased in the early successional stages and increased during late successional stages, with no overall significant change. Soil C and N concentrations and C:N, C:P and N:P ratios increased with successional stages. Soil C and N concentrations decreased with the increasing soil depth. Both were significantly different between any successional stages and controls (cropland) in the upper 10 cm and 10–20 cm soil layers. Leaf N:P ratios may be used to indicate nutrient limitations and this study suggests that plant growth during the grass stages was limited by N, during the shrub stage, by P, and during the forest stages, by both of N and P. In addition, there were close correlations between litter and leaf C:N:P ratios, soil and litter C and N levels, and C:P and N:P ratios. These results show that long-term natural vegetation succession is effective in restoring degraded soil properties and improving soil fertility, and provide insights into C:N:P relationships of leaf, litter and soil influenced by vegetation succession stage.
Impact of rock type on the pore structures and physical properties within a tight sandstone reservoir in the Ordos Basin, NW China
Authors: Yin Xiang-Dong , Jiang Shu , Chen Shi-Jia , Wu Peng , Gao Wei , Gao Ji-Xian , Shi Xian 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe pore–throat systems and physical properties of tight sandstone reservoirs are complex, and deposition is thought to be a fundamental control for them. In this study, the impacts of the full ranges of rock types (from pebbly coarse sandstone to fine sandstone) on the pore structures and physical properties of the Permian tight sandstone reservoir in the eastern Ordos Basin were investigated comprehensively through a series of experiments including conventional physical testing, thin-section analysis, scanning electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance analysis and high-pressure mercury injection tests. The results showed that the coarser-grained sandstones tend to have higher feldspar content and lower percentage of cements, leading to strong dissolution, weak cementation and improved porosity and permeability. The medium sandstone has the highest level of quartz and the lowest average content of feldspar, resulting in strong heterogeneity of physical properties. Only those medium sandstone reservoirs with relatively high content of feldspars have better physical properties. Additionally, the coarser-grained sandstones contain relatively large dissolution pores (nearly 200 μm), whereas the finer-grained sandstones have more intercrystalline pores with a relatively more homogeneous pore structure. The pebbly coarse sandstone and coarse sandstone reservoirs are favorable targets with best physical properties.
The Role of Imaging for MINOCA (Myocardial Infarction with No Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease): a Review of Literature and Current Perspectives
Authors: Alasnag Mirvat , Jelani Qurat-ul-ain , Johnson Thomas W. , Parapid Biljana , Balghaith Mohammed , Al-Shaibi Khaled 
Published: May 2020

Abstract
Purpose of Review
The objective of this review is to summarize scientific statements on the diagnosis and management of myocardial infarction with no obstructive coronary artery disease (MINOCA); define the diagnostic role of optical coherence tomography (OCT), intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR); and provide representative case examples.

Recent Findings
The majority of patients with MINOCA are evaluated by conventional coronary angiography. However, intracoronary imaging using OCT or IVUS permits more accurate understanding of the underlying pathology. These and other imaging modalities provide significant diagnostic and prognostic value.

Summary
Although nonobstructive disease is the hallmark of the disease, MINOCA is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Every effort to define the underlying pathology is necessary and requires more standardized use of imaging in clinical practice.
Andean potato diversity conserved in the International Potato Center genebank helps develop agriculture in Uganda: the example of the variety ‘Victoria’
Authors: Bernal-Galeano Vivian , Norton George , Ellis David , Anglin Noelle L. , Hareau Guy , Smale Melinda , Jamora Nelissa , Alwang Jeffrey , Pradel Willy 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe International Potato Center (CIP) genebank conserves and facilitates access to highly diverse germplasm of potato, sweetpotato, and Andean roots and tubers as a global public good for food security. While it is generally understood that material from the CIP genebank has played an important role in the release of many CIP-related varieties grown by smallholder farmers in lower-income countries, the contribution has not been evaluated in quantitative terms. By applying the relative contribution of provenance based on pedigree data, we apportion the CIP genebank contribution of two released potato varieties: Pallay Poncho and Victoria. The estimated contribution of the CIP genebank to Pallay Poncho and Victoria is 35% and 72%, respectively. We then used an economic surplus approach to measure Victoria’s benefits in Uganda by attributing and valuing productivity gains. The gross benefit of Victoria in Uganda is estimated at USD $1.04 billion (2016 value), which exceeds the annual operating cost of the entire genebank over its lifetime. Seventy-two percent of the economic benefits corresponding to germplasm of Victoria are due to the CIP genebank contribution. Our findings demonstrate the magnitude of economic benefits generated by the use of conserved germplasm provided by the CIP genebank in crop improvement, which is only one of the several components of its total economic value. These results show that the availability of diverse germplasm is perhaps one of the most important elements in varietal development.
The Högdalen urban farm: a real case assessment of sustainability attributes
Authors: Milestad Rebecka , Carlsson-Kanyama Annika , Schaffer Christina 
Published: May 2020

AbstractWhile urban indoor farming is a fairly new phenomenon, there is a growing interest from producers, authorities and consumers alike. However, many assumptions are made, and expectations held, about urban indoor farming from a sustainability, food production and food provisioning point of view. These assumptions and expectations need to be tested and assessed. This study assessed greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a number of social aspects of a newly established indoor urban farm in Stockholm. The farm was the result of a project created by commercial, civil society and municipal actors with the aim to make use of unused urban space, create jobs and produce food. While lettuce grown on the indoor farm emitted more GHG than lettuce cultivated outdoors in Sweden, it was more climate friendly than imported lettuce in our comparison. Furthermore, the indoor farm created value for the actors involved and for the city district, albeit on a small scale. Many of the positive environmental and social features owed to the small scale of the indoor farm and the context in which it developed. Thus, when evaluating production systems like this one, we need to be cautious and refrain from extrapolating the results.
Agency theory meets matching theory
Authors: Macho-Stadler Inés , Pérez-Castrillo David 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe theory of incentives and matching theory can complement each other. In particular, matching theory can be a tool for analyzing optimal incentive contracts within a general equilibrium framework. We propose several models that study the endogenous payoffs of principals and agents as a function of the characteristics of all the market participants, as well as the joint attributes of the principal–agent pairs that partner in equilibrium. Moreover, considering each principal–agent relationship as part of a market may strongly influence our assessment of how the characteristics of the principal and the agent affect the optimal incentive contract. Finally, we discuss the effect of the existence of moral hazard on the nature of the matching between principals and agents that we may observe at equilibrium, compared to the matching that would happen if incentive concerns were absent.
New avenues for systematically inferring cell-cell communication: through single-cell transcriptomics data
Authors: Shao Xin , Lu Xiaoyan , Liao Jie , Chen Huajun , Fan Xiaohui 
Published: May 2020

AbstractFor multicellular organisms, cell-cell communication is essential to numerous biological processes. Drawing upon the latest development of single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq), high-resolution transcriptomic data have deepened our understanding of cellular phenotype heterogeneity and composition of complex tissues, which enables systematic cell-cell communication studies at a single-cell level. We first summarize a common workflow of cell-cell communication study using scRNA-seq data, which often includes data preparation, construction of communication networks, and result validation. Two common strategies taken to uncover cell-cell communications are reviewed, e.g., physically vicinal structure-based and ligand-receptor interaction-based one. To conclude, challenges and current applications of cell-cell communication studies at a single-cell resolution are discussed in details and future perspectives are proposed.
Expansive mappings on bounded sets and their application to rational integral equations
Authors: Secelean Nicolae-Adrian , Wardowski Dariusz 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to introduce a new condition of expansiveness which extends the class of the known expansive-type mappings in the domain of closed and bounded subsets of a metric space. For the sum of an expansive mapping in a proposed sense defined on a closed convex and bounded subset of a Banach space and a continuous and compact operator, there are proved some fixed point theorems. There are also provided some examples which motivate our research. Moreover, an application to the existence problem of periodic solutions of nonlinear integral equations with a rational part is provided.
Tribological behavior of layered double hydroxides with various chemical compositions and morphologies as grease additives
Authors: Wang Hongdong , Wang Yue , Liu Yuhong , Zhao Jun , Li Jinjin , Wang Qiang , Luo Jianbin 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe layered double hydroxide (LDH) is a kind of natural mineral, which can also be manually prepared. It has been practically applied in various fields due to its unique crystal structure and diversity of composition, size, and morphology. In this work, LDHs with different chemical compositions (Co2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, and Ni2+) and topographical features (flower-like, spherical, and plate-like) were successfully prepared by controlling the reaction conditions. Then, they were mechanically dispersed into base grease and their tribological properties were evaluated by a ball-on-disk tester under a contact pressure of 2.47 GPa. It was found that the variation of morphology, instead of chemical composition, had great influence on the tribological performance. The “flower-like” LDH sample with high specific surface area (139 m2/g) was demonstrated to show the best performance. With 1 wt% additive, the wear volume was only about 0.2% of that lubricated by base grease. The tribofilm with unique microscopic structure and uniform composition was derived from tribochemical reaction between LDH additives and sliding solid surfaces, effectively improving tribological properties of the lubrication system. This work provided the guidance for optimizing lubricant additives and held great potential in future applications.
Bayesian adaptive testing with polytomous items
Authors: Ren Hao , Choi Seung W. , van der Linden Wim J. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractAn extremely efficient MCMC method for Bayesian adaptive testing with polytomous items is explained both conceptually and in mathematical detail. Results from extensive simulation studies with different item pools, polytomous response models, calibration sample sizes, and test lengths are presented. In addition, the case of adaptive testing from pools with a mixture of dichotomous and polytomous items is addressed.
Adolescent social withdrawal, parental psychological control, and parental knowledge across seven years: A developmental cascade model
Authors: Lin Hua , Harrist Amanda W. , Lansford Jennifer E. , Pettit Gregory S. , Bates John E. , Dodge Kenneth A. 
Published: May 2020

ABSTRACTIntroductionSocial withdrawal can be problematic for adolescents, increasing the risk of poor self‐efficacy, self‐esteem, and academic achievement, and increased levels of depression and anxiety. This prospective study follows students across adolescence, investigating links between social withdrawal and two types of parenting hypothesized to impact or be reactive to changes in social withdrawal.MethodsAdolescent social withdrawal and parenting were assessed across seven years in a U.S. sample, beginning when students were in 6th grade and ending in 12th grade. The sample consisted of 534 adolescents (260 girls and 274 boys, 82% Euro‐ and 16% African‐American). Social withdrawal was assessed in four grades using at least two informants (teachers, mothers, and/or adolescents). Mothers' and fathers' psychological control and monitoring‐related knowledge were assessed by adolescents at two time points. A developmental cascade analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling to assess how withdrawal and control‐related parenting impact each other transactionally over time. Analyses included a test for gender differences in the model.ResultsThe cascade model revealed that, controlling for previous levels of social withdrawal and parenting, earlier social withdrawal positively predicted psychological control and negatively predicted monitoring knowledge, and earlier parental psychological control—but not monitoring knowledge—predicted later social withdrawal. No adolescent gender differences were identified in the associations between social withdrawal and parental knowledge.ConclusionsThis study offers insight into the mechanisms by which adolescents become more or less withdrawn over time, and suggests psychological control as a point of psychoeducation or intervention for parents.
Low-dose fractionated radiation with induction docetaxel and cisplatin followed by concurrent cisplatin and radiation therapy in locally advanced nasopharyngeal cancer
Authors: Al-Rajhi Nasser M. , Khalil Ehab M. , Ahmad Shoaib , Soudy Hussein , AlGhazi Mohammad , Fatani Doha M. , Memon Muhammed , Abouzied Moheieldin , Khafaga Yasser M. 
Published: May 2020

Objective/Background:
To evaluate the efficacy and outcome of adding low-dose fractionated radiotherapy (LDFRT) to induction chemotherapy plus concurrent chemoradiation in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LANPC).

Methods:
A single-institute, phase II–III, prospectively controlled randomized clinical trial was performed at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre. Patients aged 18–70 years with WHO type II and III, stage III–IVB nasopharyngeal carcinoma, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score of 0–2, with adequate hematological, renal, and hepatic function were eligible. In total, 108 patients were enrolled in this trial. All patients received two cycles of induction docetaxel and cisplatin (75 mg/m2 each) chemotherapy on Days 1 and 22, followed by concurrent chemoradiation therapy. Radiation therapy consisted of 70 Gy in 33 fractions, with concurrent cisplatin 25 mg/m2 for 4 days on Days 43 and 64. Patients were randomly assigned to either adding LDFRT (0.5 Gy twice daily 6 hours apart for 2 days) to induction chemotherapy in the experimental arm (54 patients) or induction chemotherapy alone in the control arm (54 patients).

Results:
There was no significant difference in the post-induction response rates (RRs) or in toxicity between the two treatment arms. The 3-year overall survival (OS), locoregional control (LRC), and distant metastases-free survival (DMFS) rates for experimental arm and control arm were 94% versus 93% (p = .8), 84.8% versus 87.5% (p = .58), and 84.1% versus 91.6% (p = .25), respectively.

Conclusion:
The results showed no benefit from adding LDFRT to induction chemotherapy in terms of RR, OS, LRC, and DMFS.