bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Puberty timing and adiposity change across childhood and adolescence: disentangling cause and consequence
Authors: O’Keeffe Linda M , Frysz Monika , Bell Joshua A. , Howe Laura D. , Fraser Abigail 
Published: March 2019

AbstractObjectiveTo better understand if earlier puberty is more likely a result of adiposity gain in childhood than a cause of adiposity gain in adulthood.DesignProspective birth cohort study.SettingPopulation based study of children born in 1991/1992 in Bristol UK (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)).Participants4,186 participants (2,176 female and 1,990 male) of predominantly White ethnicity with 18,232 repeated measures throughout follow-up.Exposures & outcomesRepeated measures of height from 5y to 20y to identify puberty timing (age at peak height velocity) and repeated measures of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry-derived fat mass from age 9y to 18y, modelled separately in females and males using models based on chronological age and time before and after puberty onset.ResultsMean age at peak height velocity was 11.7y (standard deviation (SD)=0.8y) for females and 13.6y (SD=0.9y) for males. In adjusted models of fat mass by chronological age, a one-year later age at peak height velocity was associated with 20.4% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 18.5% to 22.3%) and 22.8% (95% (CI): 20.7% to 24.8%) lower fat mass in females and males respectively at 9y. These differences were smaller at age 18y: 7.8% (95% (CI):5.9% to 9.6%) and 11.9% (95% (CI): 9.1%, to 14.7%) lower fat mass in females and males respectively per year later age at peak height velocity. Trajectories of fat mass by time before and after puberty onset provided strong evidence for an association of pre-pubertal fat mass with puberty timing, and little evidence of an association of puberty timing with post-pubertal changes in fat mass in females. In males, findings were less clear before puberty though there was some evidence for an association of earlier puberty timing with great post-pubertal gain in fat mass.ConclusionsEarlier puberty is more likely a result of adiposity gain in childhood than a cause of adiposity gain in adulthood in females. In males early to puberty, differences in fat mass after puberty are driven partially by tracking of adiposity from early childhood but also greater gains in post-pubertal adiposity. Reducing levels of childhood adiposity may help prevent both earlier puberty, later life adiposity and their associated adverse social, mental and physical health sequelae.
Gender differences in attitudes toward death among Chinese university students:A survey in hunan and Heilongjiang province
Authors: Wang Yuwei , Tang Siyuan , Hu Xin , Qin Chunxiang , Ma Lin , Li Yang , Khoshnood Kaveh , Sun Mei 
Published: March 2019

AbstractBackgroundA positive attitude toward death has significant implications for college students, and can help students establish a healthy concept of life. But most colleges and universities in Mainland China have not yet carried out systematic death education courses.ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the attitudes of college age students to determine how they approach the idea of death using questions that explore five separate dimensions of attitude and belief.MethodsWe invited students from seven colleges in Mainland China using invitations sent to each year’s WeChat group. Students participated by scanning a QR code, and were then directed to a website that contained a self-administered questionnaire. We received 1,206 completed interviews.ResultsWe found evidence of a substantial gender difference in attitudes toward death. These differences remain after adjustment for differences between male and female in other correlates of death attitudes, and are not a function of gender differences in the dimensionality of the five scales used to characterize attitudes.ConclusionUsing previous research on gender differences as a guide, we speculate that these differences originate in culturally-defined expectations that are gender-related, as well as in substantial differences in individual family experiences of death. These speculations can take the form of testable hypotheses that should explain differences within genders as well as between genders. We believe that better education about death for college students can shape healthier attitudes among both male and female.
Microbiological, biochemical, physicochemical surface properties and biofilm forming ability ofBrettanomyces bruxellensis
Authors: Dimopoulou Maria , Renault Margareth , Dols-Lafargue Marguerite , Albertin-Leguay Warren , Herry Jean-Marie , Bellon-Fontaine Marie-Noëlle , Masneuf-Pomarede Isabelle 
Published: March 2019

AbstractBrettanomyces bruxellensisis a serious source of concern for winemakers. The production of volatile phenols by the yeast species confers to wine unpleasant sensory characteristics which are unacceptable by the consumers and inevitably provoke economic loss for the wine industry. This ubiquitous yeast is able to adapt to all winemaking steps and to withstand various environmental conditions. Moreover, the ability ofB. bruxellensisto adhere and colonize inert materials can be the cause of the yeast persistence in the cellars and thus recurrent wine spoilage. We therefore investigated the surface properties, biofilm formation capacity and the factors which may affect the attachment of the yeast cells to surfaces with eight strains representative of the genetic diversity of the species. Our results show that the biofilm formation ability is strain-dependent and suggest a possible link between the physicochemical properties of the studied strains and their corresponding genetic group.
Optimization of 3D bioprinting of human neuroblastoma cells using sodium alginate hydrogel
Authors: Lewicki Jakub , Bergman Joost , Kerins Caoimhe , Hermanson Ola 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThere are many parameters in extrusion-based three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting of different materials that require fine-tuning to obtain the optimal print resolution and cell viability. To standardize this process, methods such as parameter optimization index (POI) have been introduced. The POI aims at pinpointing the optimal printing speed and pressure to achieve the highest accuracy keeping theoretical shear stress low. Here we applied the POI to optimize the process of 3D bioprinting human neuroblastoma cell-laden 2% sodium alginate (SA) hydrogel using freeform reversible embedding of suspended hydrogels (FRESH). Our results demonstrate a notable difference between optimal parameters for printing 2% SA with and without cells in the hydrogel. We also detected a significant influence of long-term cell culture on the printed constructs. This observation suggests that the POI has to be evaluated in the perspective of the final application. When taking these conditions into consideration, we could define a set of parameters that resulted in good quality prints maintaining high neuroblastoma cell viability (83% viable cells) during 7 days of cell culture using 2% SA and FRESH bioprinting. These results can be further used to manufacture neuroblastoma in vitro 3D culture systems to be used for cancer research.
Avoiding potential biases in ses.PD estimations with the Picante software package
Authors: Molina-Venegas Rafael 
Published: March 2019

AbstractFaith’s phylogenetic diversity (PD) is one of the most widespread used indices of phylogenetic structure in the eco-phylogenetic literature. The metric became notably popular with the publication of the function pd as part of the Picante R package, which is nowadays a reference software for phylogenetic analyses.Because PD is not statistically independent of species richness, the routine procedure is to standardize the observed PD values for unequal richness across samples. The function ses.pd, which is also implemented in the Picante R package, is the reference function to conduct such standardization.Unfortunately, I have detected an anomaly in the function that may result in biased estimations of standardized PD values, particularly in communities with low species richness (i.e. less than four species) and unbalanced phylogenies.I conduct a simple simulation exercise to illustrate the issue and propose two alternative and easy to implement solutions to go around the problem.
An approximate derivate-based controller for regulating gene expression
Authors: Modi Saurabh , Dey Supravat , Singh Abhyudai 
Published: March 2019

AbstractInside individual cells, protein population counts are subject to molecular noise due to low copy numbers and the inherent probabilistic nature of biochemical processes. Such random fluctuations in the level of a protein critically impact functioning of intracellular biological networks, and not surprisingly, cells encode diverse regulatory mechanisms to buffer noise. We investigate the effectiveness of proportional and derivative-based feedback controllers to suppress protein count fluctuations originating from two noise sources: bursty expression of the protein, and external disturbance in protein synthesis. Designs of biochemical reactions that function as proportional and derivative controllers are discussed, and the corresponding closed-loop system is analyzed for stochastic controller realizations. Our results show that proportional controllers are effective in buffering protein copy number fluctuations from both noise sources, but this noise suppression comes at the cost of reduced static sensitivity of the output to the input signal. Next, we discuss the design of a coupled feedforward-feedback biochemical circuit that approximately functions as a derivate controller. Analysis using both analytical methods and Monte Carlo simulations reveals that this derivative controller effectively buffers output fluctuations from bursty stochastic expression, while maintaining the static input-output sensitivity of the open-loop system. As expected, the derivative controller performs poorly in terms of rejecting external disturbances. In summary, this study provides a systematic stochastic analysis of biochemical controllers, and paves the way for their synthetic design and implementation to minimize deleterious fluctuations in gene product levels.
Timing and Duration ofGbx2Expression Delineates Thalamocortical and Dopaminergic Medial Forebrain Bundle Circuitry
Authors: Normand Elizabeth , Browning Catherine , Zervas Mark 
Published: March 2019

SUMMARYGene expression is a dynamic process, which is highly coordinated during development to ensure the proper allocation and identity of neuronal cell types within the brain. Equally important during neurodevelopment is how cohorts of neurons establish axonal projections that innervate terminal target sites. We sought to bridge the temporal dynamics of gene expression, within a specific genetic lineage, to the establishment of neuronal circuits derived from cohorts of the lineage-specific progenitors. A central goal was to be able to accomplish genetic inducible circuit mapping non-invasively and with commonly available CreER/loxPtechnology. Specifically, we genetically marked thalamic neuron progenitors that expressed the transcription factorGbx2at an early embryonic stage and tracked the formation of lineage-derived thalamocortical axons during embryogenesis. We then assessed the neural circuitry at an early postnatal stage. We show that the temporal specificity of lineage marking provides a high degree of clarity for following neural circuit development. We also determined that the onset and duration of gene expression can delineate subsets of neural circuits derived from a common lineage. For example, we uncovered a novel contribution ofGbx2-expressing progenitors to midbrain dopamine neurons and dopaminergic axons of the medial forebrain bundle. We anticipate that this system can be instructive in elucidating changes in neural circuit development in both normal development and in mutant mice in which neural circuit formation is altered.
Improved Stability of Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate‐Substituted Nanostructured Lipid Carrier Cholecalciferol Emulsions with Different Carrier Oils
Authors: Seo Tae‐Rang , Lee Inil , Chun Yong‐Gi , Park Dong‐June , Lee Sang‐Hoon , Kim Bum‐Keun 
Published: March 2019

AbstractCholecalciferol, also known as vitamin D3, is a recognized therapeutic agent for treatment of bone diseases and cancer. However, instability and poor bioavailability have been major challenges for delivering Vitamin D3. The objective of this study was to formulate improved nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) vitamin D3 emulsions. We tested the effect of different carrier oils and the use of a solid lipid nanoparticle emulsifier, polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) on the stability of the vitamin D3 emulsions. In contrast to the control that used glyceryl monostearate (GMS) the PGPR substitution resulted in relatively small particle sizes (0.30 to 0.43 μm), with high absolute value of zeta potentials (39.5 to 67.8 mV) and high encapsulation efficiency (85.2% to 90.4%). The stability of the NLC emulsions against environmental stresses was evaluated under varying conditions of ionic strength, pH, freeze–thaw cycles, and storage at different temperatures. Although NLC emulsions were stable at high ionic strengths, they were found to be unstable at low pH (<3), which led to aggregation and coalescence of emulsion droplets. In case of freeze–thaw stress, although relatively stable compared to control NLC, the PGPR substituted groups exhibited a slight increase in particle size and a decrease in zeta potential when the cycle was repeated five times. Additionally, we found that PGPR‐substituted emulsions showed higher liquid dispersion stability than controls at 25 and 65 °C. Thus, we have formulated a modified NLC vitamin D3 emulsion that can be widely used in the food industry.Practical ApplicationVitamin D3, an essential micronutrient, is often added as supplements in food products and beverages for added health benefits. However, the stability of vitamin D3 emulsions that are used in the preparation of such products has been a major concern. We have developed a modified emulsion that has improved stability against environmental stresses. We believe, in future, this formulation can be efficiently used in the food industry.
The Triacylglycerol Profile of Oil Bodies and Oil Extracted from Argania spinosa Using the UPLC Along with the Electrospray Ionization Quadrupole‐Time‐of‐Flight Mass Spectrometry (LC‐Q‐TOF‐MS)
Authors: Zaaboul Farah , Cao Chen , Raza Husnain , Jun Zhao Zheng , Xu Yong Jiang , Liu Yuan Fa 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThe triacylglycerol (TAG) matrix of argan oil (AO) bodies (AOB) along with the TAGs of AO extracted from the same kernels using an organic solvent, were identified and quantified using the ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. Generally, both samples showed a similar TAGs profile but AO found to have three extra TAGs in low amount. In total 23 and 26 different TAGs were identified in AOBs and AO, respectively. The most abundant TAGs were OOL, POO, OOO, and POL in both samples. Furthermore, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and palmitic acid were the major fatty acids in both AOBs and AO. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first research that studied the TAGs matrix of an oil body revealing no major difference between the TAGs profile protected by the AOBs membrane and the oil extracted from the whole seed.Practical ApplicationSeed and kernels oil bodies emulsion tend to be the new source of emulsified oil in food and cosmetic industries. However, before replacing a product with another, we have to make sure that the new alternative can offer better or at least similar benefits. Our results showed that the triacylglycerols (TAGs) matrix and the argan oil (AO) share the same TAGs profile with a relatively close percentage. Therefore, AO bodies can be the perfect pre‐emulsified oil for some food products like sauces and creams.
Hippocampal atrophy disrupts the language network but not hemispheric language lateralization
Authors: Lopes Tátila Martins , de Campos Brunno Machado , Zanão Tamires Araújo , Balthazar Marcio L. F. , Yasuda Clarissa Lin , Cendes Fernando 
Published: March 2019

SummaryObjectiveIt is still unclear how temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with and without hippocampal atrophy (HA) affects cortical language distribution. We aimed to investigate the role of the hippocampus on language lateralization, activation pattern, and functional connectivity (FC) in patients with TLE.MethodsWe investigated 93 patients with TLE—divided into right HA (RHA), left HA (LHA), and negative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (non‐HA)—and 101 controls using a semantic‐language functional MRI (fMRI) task and the Boston Naming Test (BNT).ResultsGroups did not differ in the frequency of atypical language lateralization (LL), which correlated differently with handedness in each brain region and group. Blood‐oxygen‐level dependend (BOLD) activation patterns and region of interest (ROI)‐to‐ROI FC differed between LHA and controls, as well as between LHA and non‐HA patients. In the task activation pattern analysis, there was a decrease in the activation of patients with LHA relative to controls, exactly in the left hippocampus. However, non‐HA patients had increased FC relative to controls in the left superior temporal gyrus region. Seed‐to‐voxel FC demonstrated greater differences between patients and controls and smaller differences among patient groups. The non‐HA group was similar to controls, except for increased BOLD activation and increase FC in the superior temporal gyri. RHA and LHA differed from controls in BNT. BNT correlated with fMRI activation in RHA and non‐HA groups.SignificanceLHA affected naming performance, fMRI semantic task activation pattern, and FC more than RHA and non‐HA. Contrary to our expectations, LHA did not increase the frequency of atypical LL. Regardless of the side, HA impacts negatively on the language network but not on hemispheric language lateralization.
The role of intraspecific competition in the dispersal of an invasive fish
Authors: Grabowska Joanna , Zięba Grzegorz , Przybylski Mirosław , Smith Carl 
Published: March 2019

Abstract

Ponto‐Caspian gobies are among the most successful fish invaders in inland waters of Europe and in the Great Lakes of North America. Their invasions appear to comprise a combination of passive and active dispersal mechanisms, both natural and human‐mediated. Despite the significance of Ponto‐Caspian gobies as invasive species, there is little information about the mechanisms underpinning their dispersal. They are relatively small benthic fish, with high site affinity. Thus, actively dispersing individuals must express a behavioural motivation to engage in persistent directional movement.

Several recent studies have suggested that inter‐individual behavioural differences in boldness, activity level and tendency to explore might underpin dispersal. In addition, because males are highly territorial, intraspecific competition may lead to density‐dependent dispersal of subordinate individuals. To date, studies on this subject have focused mainly on comparisons between individuals from the core of established populations with those at the margins and, thus, address the outcome of dispersal rather than the mechanism itself.

We conducted a series of experiments on the racer goby Babka gymnotrachelus to address the question of what behavioural and physiological traits predict the tendency of an individual to perform dispersal behaviour, specifically considering the role of conspecifics in influencing the tendency to disperse. We used an artificial channel to measure dispersal tendency in this species in combination with behavioural trials.

Our results showed that fish with a greater tendency to disperse in an experimental channel grew more slowly and were bolder; that is displayed a greater propensity to emerge from a cryptic background onto a white background and performed worse in prey capture trials. As predicted, intraspecific competition played a primary role in the dispersal of the racer goby. Dominant males showed a tendency to monopolise limited shelters with an outcome that subordinates were forced to disperse upstream. The specific growth rate of individuals appeared to be a good indicator of social position. Subordinate males expressed the lowest rates of growth, probably as a result of long‐term deprivation of food in the presence of dominant conspecifics. They were also quicker to explore novel environments, possibly to search for food. Contrary to expectations, subordinate individuals performed relatively poorly in feeding trials when tested individually.

Our findings suggest that intraspecific competition in racer goby males is an important mechanism for active dispersal. It can also influence inter‐individual variation in traits such as boldness and tendency to explore novel environments. Similar responses to competitive interactions may have encouraged the invasive expansion of other Ponto‐Caspian gobies following establishment in new environments, as well as other fish species that exhibit territorial behaviour.
Urbanisation alters fatty acids in stream food webs
Authors: Whorley Sarah B. , Smucker Nathan J. , Kuhn Anne , Wehr John D. 
Published: March 2019

Abstract

Fatty acids are essential to macroinvertebrate growth and reproduction and can indicate food web structure and nutritional quality of basal resources. However, broad‐scale examinations of how catchment land cover and associated stressors affect the proportions of fatty acids (FAs) in stream food webs are few.

Here, we: (1) examine relationships among proportions of FAs among benthic periphyton and macroinvertebrate collector/gatherers, shredders, and predators; and (2) test if relationships between periphytic and macroinvertebrate FAs were altered due to the intensity of urban development in catchments.

Proportions of the ≥20‐C eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA 20:5ω3), arachidonic acid (ARA 20:4ω6), and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6ω3) indicated collector/gatherers had a diet richer in periphyton than in shredders, which had significantly lower proportions of these FAs. Collector/gatherers were in turn likely to be high‐quality sources of ω3 and ≥ 20‐C FAs for predators, which also had significantly greater EPA and ARA proportions than those in shredders. Linoleic (18:2ω6) and α‐linolenic acid (18:3ω3) comprised the greatest proportions of FAs in shredders, which suggested a diet dominated by leaf litter and associated hyphomycetes.

As catchment urbanisation increased, proportions of total ω3 FAs and EPA in periphyton were significantly greater. This pattern also was seen through macroinvertebrate consumers and predators, given that proportions of these FAs in macroinvertebrates also were significantly correlated with factors associated with catchment urbanisation. The significant increase in total ω3 FAs and EPA proportions within shredders indicated that periphyton growth, and their FAs, increased on leaf litter, probably due to greater nutrient concentrations associated with catchment urbanisation. Proportions of total ω6 FAs in biota were not significantly correlated with factors associated with urban development, which could indicate that they were of sufficient abundance for consumers regardless of urban intensity or possible changes in their sources.

Our study provides an informative first step that identified notable differences in proportions of FAs among macroinvertebrates in urban streams and an increase in proportions of total ω3 FAs and EPA in periphyton, consumers, and predators as catchment urbanisation increases. Identifying how FA relationships within food webs change in response to catchment alterations and stressors could inform land use and management decisions by linking environmental changes to measures important to ecosystem outcomes.