bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Lactic acid fermentation in the development of a seaweed sauerkraut‐style product: Microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory evaluation
Authors: Skonberg D.I. , Fader S. , Perkins L.B. , Perry J.J. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractConsumption of nutrient‐rich seaweeds and fermented nondairy foods represent fast growing trends among health‐minded consumers. Assessment of lacto‐fermented seaweed was performed to address these trends, and to offer shelf‐life extension and product diversification for fresh kelps. The objectives were to evaluate the effects of kelp species and inclusion level on fermentation kinetics, physicochemical quality, safety, shelf‐life, and consumer acceptability of a seaweed sauerkraut‐style product. Six formulations with different inclusion levels (25, 50, and 75%) of shredded kelp (sugar kelp, SK or winged kelp, WK) were mixed with cabbage, 2% salt, and inoculated with Lactobacillus plantarum (approximately 106 CFU/g) and Leuconostoc mesenteroides (approximately 101 CFU/g). Products were processed in triplicate, fermented until a target pH of ≤4.6 was achieved, and sampled periodically for 60 days. Kelp species and inclusion level significantly affected most variables tested. The most rapid fermentation (3 days), as evidenced by pH decrease, lactic acid bacteria counts, and lactic acid levels, was noted in WK formulations. Some SK formulations took up to 14 days to achieve the target pH, and coliforms persisted to a greater extent in the SK formulations. Higher levels of kelp decreased the fermentation rate and concentration of fermentable sugars in the brine, but increased the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the sauerkrauts. Despite differences in instrumental color (L*a*b*) and texture (shear force) among formulations, overall liking as rated by a consumer panel was not significantly affected by species or inclusion level. Results support the use of lacto‐fermentation in the production of refrigeration‐stable seaweed sauerkraut‐style product.Practical ApplicationHealth‐conscious consumers are becoming increasingly interested in plant‐based diets and fermented foods, and the development of novel seaweed sauerkraut‐style products can help to meet these needs. This study demonstrated the successful production of a sauerkraut‐style product formulated with up to 50% farm‐raised kelp. Physical, chemical, microbiological, and consumer acceptability testing established lactic acid fermentation as a viable method for shelf life extension and value addition of fresh kelps. These results provide science‐based information on an alternative processing method for cultivated seaweeds and can assist the industry in product diversification efforts.
Model‐based genotype and ancestry estimation for potential hybrids with mixed‐ploidy
Authors: Shastry Vivaswat , Adams Paula E. , Lindtke Dorothea , Mandeville Elizabeth G. , Parchman Thomas L. , Gompert Zachariah , Buerkle C. Alex 
Published: January 2021

AbstractNon‐random mating among individuals can lead to spatial clustering of genetically similar individuals and population stratification. This deviation from panmixia is commonly observed in natural populations. Consequently, individuals can have parentage in single populations or involving hybridization between differentiated populations. Accounting for this mixture and structure is important when mapping the genetics of traits and learning about the formative evolutionary processes that shape genetic variation among individuals and populations. Stratified genetic relatedness among individuals is commonly quantified using estimates of ancestry that are derived from a statistical model. Development of these models for polyploid and mixed‐ploidy individuals and populations has lagged behind those for diploids. Here, we extend and test a hierarchical Bayesian model, called entropy, which can use low‐depth sequence data to estimate genotype and ancestry parameters in autopolyploid and mixed‐ploidy individuals (including sex chromosomes and autosomes within individuals). Our analysis of simulated data illustrated the trade‐off between sequencing depth and genome coverage and found lower error associated with low‐depth sequencing across a larger fraction of the genome than with high‐depth sequencing across a smaller fraction of the genome. The model has high accuracy and sensitivity as verified with simulated data and through analysis of admixture among populations of diploid and tetraploid Arabidopsis arenosa.
Comparative genomics analyses indicate differential methylated amine utilization trait within members of the genus Gemmobacter
Authors: Kröber Eileen , Cunningham Mark R. , Peixoto Julianna , Spurgin Lewis , Wischer Daniela , Kruger Ricardo , Kumaresan Deepak 
Published: January 2021

SummaryMethylated amines are ubiquitous in the environment and play a role in regulating the earth's climate via a set of complex biological and chemical reactions. Microbial degradation of these compounds is thought to be a major sink. Recently we isolated a facultative methylotroph, Gemmobacter sp. LW‐1, an isolate from the unique environment Movile Cave, Romania, which is capable of methylated amine utilization as a carbon source. Here, using a comparative genomics approach, we investigate how widespread methylated amine utilization is within members of the bacterial genus Gemmobacter. Seven genomes of different Gemmobacter species isolated from diverse environments, such as activated sludge, fresh water, sulphuric cave waters (Movile Cave) and the marine environment were available from the public repositories and used for the analysis. Our results indicate that methylamine utilization is a distinctive feature of selected members of the genus Gemmobacter, namely G. aquatilis, G. lutimaris, G. sp. HYN0069, G. caeni and G. sp. LW‐1 have the genetic potential while others (G. megaterium and G. nectariphilus) have not.
A randomized trial comparing prescribed light exercise to standard management for emergency department patients with acute mild traumatic brain injury
Authors: Varner Catherine E. , Thompson Cameron , de Wit Kerstin , Borgundvaag Bjug , Houston Reaves , McLeod Shelley 
Published: January 2021

AbstractBackgroundThere is a paucity of effective management strategies to prevent prolonged symptoms following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), and emerging evidence suggesting possible benefits of exercise. The objective of this trial was to determine whether adult patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with a diagnosis of acute mTBI prescribed light exercise were less likely to develop persistent postconcussion symptoms (PCS).MethodsThis was a randomized controlled trial conducted in three Canadian EDs. Consecutive, adult (18–64 years) ED patients with an mTBI sustained within the preceding 48 hours were eligible for enrollment. The intervention group received discharge instructions prescribing 30 minutes of daily light exercise, and the control group was given standard mTBI instructions advising gradual return to exercise following symptom resolution. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with PCS at 30 days, defined as the presence of three or more symptoms on the Rivermead Post‐concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ).ResultsA total of 367 patients were enrolled (control group, n = 184; intervention, n = 183). Median age was 32 years and 201 (57.6%) were female. There was no difference in the proportion of patients with PCS at 30 days (control, 13.4% vs intervention, 14.6%; ∆1.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = −6.2 to 8.5). There were no differences in median change of RPQ scores, median number of return health care provider visits, median number of missed school or work days, or unplanned return ED visits within 30 days. Participants in the control group reported fewer minutes of light exercise at 7 days (30 vs 35; ∆5, 95% CI = 2 to 15).ConclusionIn this trial of prescribed early light exercise for acute mTBI, there were no differences in recovery or health care utilization outcomes. Results suggest that early light exercise may be encouraged as tolerated at ED discharge following mTBI, but this guidance is not sufficient to prevent PCS.
SARS‐CoV‐2 viral load in nasopharyngeal swabs in the emergency department does not predict COVID‐19 severity and mortality
Authors: Le Borgne Pierrick , Solis Morgane , Severac François , Merdji Hamid , Ruch Yvon , Alamé Intern Karine , Bayle Eric , Hansmann Yves , Bilbault Pascal , Fafi‐Kremer Samira , Meziani Ferhat ,   for the CRICS TRIGGERSEP Group (Clinical Research in Intensive Care and Sepsis Trial Group for Global Evaluation and Research in Sepsis)
Published: January 2021

AbstractIntroductionThe ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic has led to devastating repercussions on health care systems worldwide. This viral infection has a broad clinical spectrum (ranging from influenza‐like disease, viral pneumonia, and hypoxemia to acute respiratory distress syndrome requiring prolonged intensive care unit stays). The prognostic impact of measuring viral load on nasopharyngeal swab specimens (by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction [RT‐PCR]) is yet to be elucidated.MethodsBetween March 3 and April 5, 2020, we conducted a retrospective study on a cohort of COVID‐19 patients (mild or severe disease) who were hospitalized after presenting to the emergency department (ED) and had at least one positive nasopharyngeal swab during their hospital stay. We led our study at the University Hospitals of Strasbourg in the Greater East region of France, one of the pandemic's epicenters in Europe.ResultsWe have collected samples from a cohort of 287 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID‐19 who were included in our study. Nearly half of them (50.5%) presented a mild form of the disease, while the other half (49.5%) presented a severe form, requiring mechanical ventilation. Median (interquartile range) viral load on the initial upper respiratory swab at admission was 4.76 (3.29–6.06) log10 copies/reaction. When comparing survivors and nonsurvivors, this viral load measurement did not differ according to subgroups (p = 0.332). Additionally, we have found that respiratory viral load measurement was predictive of neither in‐hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.85 to 1.31, p = 0.637) nor disease severity (AOR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.73 to 1.06, p = 0.167).ConclusionRespiratory viral load measurement on the first nasopharyngeal swab (by RT‐PCR) during initial ED management is neither a predictor of severity nor a predictor of mortality in SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Host response to this viral infection along with the extent of preexisting comorbidities might be more foretelling of disease severity than the virus itself.
Intrinsic factors, release conditions and presence of conspecifics affect post‐release dispersal after translocation of Iberian ibex
Authors: Garnier A. , Besnard A. , Crampe J. P. , Estèbe J. , Aulagnier S. , Gonzalez G. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractTranslocation is an important tool in restoring biodiversity, particularly when species have been extirpated from an area. In the period just after release, the main objective of conservation managers is to keep as many of the translocated individuals in the release area as possible, in order to maximize the number of founders of the new population. Environmental and intrinsic factors, release conditions and social behaviour are likely to influence an individual’s propensity to move away from the release site (known as post‐release dispersal); however, few studies have explored the relative importance of these factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate how these four factors affected the post‐release dispersal of 169 Iberian ibex translocated from Spain to the French Pyrenees. We modelled the linear distance between the barycentre of each individual ibex’s monthly locations and the release site. Our results indicated that most individuals stayed close to the release site, but that inter‐individual variability was high. Post‐release dispersal was higher for males than females, with male breeders exhibiting higher exploration behaviour than juveniles. Release season played a major role, with dispersal being the lowest in spring and the highest during the rutting period. Dispersal was also found to be lower when conspecifics were present in the release area, probably due to their role as a cue for favourable habitat. These findings can be used by conservation managers to inform translocation strategies in order to enhance success: for example by releasing females and young males in spring and splitting a reintroduction project into successive release operations.
Attacks of domestic dogs on Common Long‐Nosed Armadillo Dasypusnovemcinctus and Southern Brown Howler Monkey Alouatta guariba in fragmented Atlantic Forest and implications in a region of high priority for biodiversity conservation
Authors: da Silva André Luiz Ferreira , H. Varzinczak Luiz , C. Passos Fernando 
Published: January 2021

AbstractDomestic dogs can negatively impact natural systems, and understanding these dynamics is essential to mitigate their impact. We report two cases of attacks of domestic dogs on native mammals in a fragmented landscape of the Atlantic Forest, southern Brazil. Our records occurred in a region of high priority for the conservation of this biome. We observed two attacks, one on a Common Long‐Nosed Armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus and another on a Southern Brown Howler Monkey Alouatta guariba clamitans. Our records highlight additional threats to the wild and native fauna reinforcing the importance of accounting for the presence of domestic fauna when delineating conservation strategies in highly fragmented environments.
Dietary variation of an endangered mycophagous mammal in novel and remnant habitats in a peri‐urban landscape
Authors: Maclagan Sarah J. , Coates Terry , O’Malley Austin , Ritchie Euan G. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractUnderstanding how fundamental aspects of species’ ecology, such as diet, are affected in human‐dominated landscapes is vital for informing management and conserving biodiversity – particularly where species influence important ecosystem functions. Digging, mycophagous (‘fungus‐eating’) mammals play various such roles, including the dispersal of hypogeal (‘truffle‐like’) fungi. The endangered, mycophagous southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus obesulus: Peramelidae) persists in a peri‐urban landscape south‐east of Melbourne, Australia, where it occupies both ‘novel’ habitats (linear strips of vegetation along roadsides, drains and railway lines) and ‘remnant’ habitats (larger blocks of native vegetation) within dedicated conservation areas. It remains unknown how bandicoot diet, including the diversity of hypogeal fungi, varies between these habitat types, yet this could have important conservation implications. Our study aimed to (i) compare the diet ofI. o. obesulusat novel and remnant sites; and (ii) attain knowledge of hypogeal fungal diversity in these different contexts. We collected 133 bandicoot scats over 23 months and examined both broad diet composition and diversity of fungi consumed. Bandicoot diet differed between site types; in particular, ants were more prominent in scats from remnant sites, while millipedes and seeds were more prominent in scats from novel sites. All scats contained fungal spores, with hypogeal taxa comprising at least 35 of the 78 ‘morphotypes’ found at novel sites and 28 of the 59 detected at remnant sites. Fewer samples were collected at remnant sites, but they appeared to contain a greater richness of hypogeal fungi per scat. We did not detect any differences in fungal composition between site types. However, our sampling effort was insufficient to estimate true morphotype richness at either site type. Our study highlights the adaptable generalist diet of the southern brown bandicoot, as well as the likely under‐appreciated diversity of hypogeal fungi that can occur in highly modified, novel ecosystems.
Some like it odd: Long‐term research reveals unusual behaviour in the flightless Kagu of New Caledonia
Authors: Theuerkauf Jörn , Rouys Sophie , Bloc Henri , Hunt Gavin R. , Kuehn Ralph , Gula Roman 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe observation of rare behaviours can provide unexpected insights into the biology of a species. Here, we report new observations of unusual or rare behaviours by the Kagu Rhynochetos jubatus of New Caledonia, a flightless bird already known for many curious traits. We observed the broken‐wing display, adoption of a chick by a neighbouring family and flexibility in the selection of cooperative breeding partners in response to disruption in their social organisation. Although infrequent, these observations demonstrate the highly developed social flexibility that enables Kagu to counter heavy population losses caused by predation. We think that rare behaviours could often be overlooked in species because restricted research objectives might not allow their discovery.
Amount and spatial distribution of habitats influence occupancy and dispersal of frogs at multiple scales in agricultural landscape
Authors: Faggioni Gabriel P. , Souza Franco L. , Paranhos Filho AntÔnio C. , Gamarra Roberto M. , Prado Cynthia P. A. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractAgriculture changes the aquatic and terrestrial habitats used by animals, affecting their responses to matrix permeability. Here, we evaluated the impacts that resulted from the replacement of native vegetation with pastures on habitat occupancy, colonisation and local extinction of two Neotropical frogs with contrasting ecological strategies, Leptodactylus bufonius and L. chaquensis. We conducted fieldwork during two reproductive seasons in 50 temporary ponds in the Brazilian Chaco. We used site occupancy models in a multi‐scale approach to identify landscape changes affecting population parameters and to determine the scale of interaction between species and the landscape. At local (10 m) and scales ≤400 m, increased pasture proportion limited the availability of bare soil required by males of L. bufonius to build mud chambers for reproduction and decreased proportion of shrublands affecting L. chaquensis occupancy. At larger spatial scales (>400 m), landscape modification limited dispersal of the smaller species L. bufonius. We found that the amount of habitat available is important in maintaining population parameters such as occupancy. However, our results highlight that the spatial distribution of habitats may also play an important role in the persistence and mobility of frogs in agricultural landscapes and that it is possible to identify a scale of effect in such anthropic landscapes. We recommend the consideration of reproductive and dispersal requirements of amphibian species, along with body size, as predictors of the spatial scale for management of populations in farmlands.
Comparison of house dust mite sensitization profiles in allergic adults from Canada, Europe, South Africa and USA
Authors: Muddaluru Varun , Valenta Rudolf , Vrtala Susanne , Schlederer Thomas , Hindley James , Hickey Pascal , Larché Mark , Tonti Elena 
Published: January 2021

AbstractBackgroundSensitization to house dust mite (HDM) is a leading cause of allergic rhinitis and asthma. Despite more than 30 HDM‐derived allergens having been identified to date, specific therapeutic approaches do not yet take into account the local sensitization profiles of patients. This study aimed to identify patterns of HDM sensitization in HDM‐allergic adults living in distinct geographic areas, to inform the development of targeted diagnostic and therapeutic tools.MethodsSerum samples from 685 HDM‐allergic subjects from Canada, Europe, South Africa, and the USA were tested for levels of IgE specific for 17 micro‐arrayed HDM allergens by ImmunoCAP Immuno Solid‐phase Allergen Chip (ISAC) technology.ResultsThe results confirmed significant geographical variability in sensitization patterns and levels of IgE. In all areas, the major sensitizers were the group 1 and group 2 allergens and Der p 23. Der p 23 was a frequent sensitizer: 64% of the subjects had IgE specific for Der p 23, and 2.3% were monosensitized to it. In South Africa, Der p 23 was the dominant HDM allergen (86% prevalence) and Der p 7 achieved major allergen status (56%). IgE sensitization to HDM was influenced by asthmatic status, levels of allergen exposure, age, race‐ethnicity and smoking status, but not by BMI.ConclusionSensitization profiles to HDM allergens differ considerably among distinct geographic areas, with Der p 7 and Der p 23 being major sensitizers in South Africa. Such heterogeneity should be taken into account in the diagnosis and treatment of HDM‐allergic patients.
Data from 14,597 penile measurements of vietnamese men
Authors: Nguyen Hoai Bac , Pham Minh Quan , Nguyen Cao Thang , Sansone Andrea , Colonnello Elena , Jannini Emmanuele A. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractBackgroundPenis size is a highly sensitive topic, which has often raised concerns associated with human masculinity and male sexual health. Although data regarding penile dimensions have been published worldwide, little is known about these measurements in South‐East Asian countries.ObjectiveThis study aimed to provide the reference range in penile length, circumference, and diameter of Vietnamese men and their variations among men with erectile dysfunction and other diseases.Materials and MethodsInformation about flaccid length, stretched length, mid‐shaft circumference, and glans diameter from the health records of 14,597 men attending the Andrology Consultation was collected. These men were classified into three groups being regular reproductive health screening group, sexual dysfunction group, and other disease groups.ResultsWe found that penile dimensions follow a non‐parametric distribution, as tested by Kolmogorov‐Smirnov test. The median values are 9.03 cm for flaccid length, 14.67 cm for stretched length, 8.39 cm for mid‐shaft circumference, and 2.86 cm for unaroused glans diameter. Length and girth of the penis also changed among the different groups, especially in flaccid state; specifically, men with erectile dysfunction had a greater value in all penile dimensions except for change ratio compared with other groups. Circumcision, which rarely occurs in Vietnam, was associated with a 2 mm reduced penis length.DiscussionFindings on correlations between penile dimensions and somatometric parameters from previous studies are questionable and some measurements, such as glans dimension, have not been thoroughly investigated so far. Nevertheless, penile dimensions provide useful insight concerning conditions affecting sexual development and might be a valuable parameter in the assessment of erectile dysfunction.ConclusionResults of this study provide informative materials for the assessment of penile size, including reference values drawn from a large sample of Vietnamese men that can be useful in clinical practice and sexual health education.