bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Microencapsulation of xanthan gum based on palm stearin/beeswax matrix as wall system
Authors: Ding Baomiao , Li Chenbiao , Pan Minhsiung , Chiou Yishiou , Li Zhenshun , Wei Shudong , Yin Xiaoli 
Published: May 2019

AbstractXanthan gum microcapsules (XGMC) were prepared by phase separation method based on palm stearin/beeswax (PS/BW) systems. XG microcapsules with high encapsulation efficiency were obtained at the preparation conditions of PS‐to‐BW ratio 7:3 and core‐to‐wall ratio 10:10. The inverted micrograph showed that the shapes of XGMC were mainly spherical, and the particle sizes of XGMC were chiefly distributed in the range from 40 to 300 μm. The XGMC curve of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) illustrated that two peaks appeared at around 40 and 60°C, and the two temperatures were in accordance with the melting points of PS and BW, respectively. Compared with that of XG, the hygroscopicity of XG in microcapsules was obviously decreased under medium and high humidity conditions. Viscosity measurements showed that XGMC could be destructed and XG was completely released from microcapsules at temperature above 65°C. The XG released from microcapsules could more fast hydrate than XG, and “fish‐eye” would not be formed. Microencapsulation could be an effective method to protect XG from high hygroscopicity, to promote the polysaccharide hydration process, and to prevent the “fish‐eye” formation.Practical ApplicationsXG as a hydrophilic polysaccharide is able to strongly absorb moisture and form agglomerates during storage. Moreover, the gum tends to produce “fish‐eye” formation during hydration process. These shortcomings are not propitious for XG applications in the food processing industry. Microencapsulation is usually employed to improve the physicochemical properties of active ingredients. XG was encapsulated into palm stearin/beeswax matrix using phase separation method. The hygroscopicity of XG was reduced significantly after microencapsulation, and the “fish‐eye” formation was also effectively prevented. The hydration rate and efficiency of XG after microencapsulation were obviously enhanced. The XG microcapsules obtained in this work will promote the application in food industry and increase the economic value of XG. In addition, the system of palm stearin/beeswax could be adequately developed as effective wall materials.
Can Stock Volatility Be Benign? New Measurements and Macroeconomic Implications
Authors: HUANG YU‐FAN , LUO SUI 
Published: May 2019

AbstractWe find nonsynchronized movements of two new measures of financial market uncertainty—good and bad volatility—which are based on the maximum and minimum stock prices within a month. Good (bad) volatility is associated with better (worse) expectations about the future economic situation and clearly signals acceleration (deceleration) in economic activity. The VAR results indicate that (i) output, employment, and stock price plummet rapidly in response to a bad volatility shock, while their responses to a good volatility shock are modest, and (ii) bad volatility shocks explain the bulk of economic activity and stock price fluctuations in the medium run.
Ontogenetic allometry and architectural properties of the paravertebral and hindlimb musculature in Eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus): functional implications for developmental changes in locomotor performance
Authors: Butcher M. T. , Rose J. A. , Glenn Z. D. , Tatomirovich N. M. , Russo G. A. , Foster A. D. , Smith G. A. , Young J. W. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractDue to small body size, an immature musculoskeletal system, and other growth‐related limits on performance, juvenile mammals frequently experience a greater risk of predation than their adult counterparts. As a result, behaviorally precocious juveniles are hypothesized to exhibit musculoskeletal advantages that permit them to accelerate rapidly and evade predation. This hypothesis was tested through detailed quantitative evaluation of muscle growth in wild Eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus). Cottontail rabbits experience high rates of mortality during the first year of life, suggesting that selection might act to improve performance in growing juveniles. Therefore, it was predicted that muscle properties associated with force and power capacity should be enhanced in juvenile rabbits to facilitate enhanced locomotor performance. We quantified muscle architecture from 24 paravertebral and hindlimb muscles across ontogeny in a sample of n = 29 rabbits and evaluated the body mass scaling of muscle mass (MM), physiological cross‐sectional area (PCSA), isometric force (Fmax), and instantaneous power (Pinst), along with several dimensionless architectural indices. In contrast to our hypothesis, MM and PCSA for most muscles change with positive allometry during growth by scaling at and , respectively, whereas Fmax and Pinst generally scale indistinguishably from isometry, as do the architectural indices tested. However, scaling patterns indicate that the digital flexors and ankle extensors of juvenile S. floridanus have greater capacities for force and power, respectively, than those in adults, suggesting these muscle properties may be a part of several compensatory features that promote enhanced acceleration performance in young rabbits. Overall, our study implies that body size constraints place larger, more mature rabbits at a disadvantage during acceleration, and that adults must develop hypertrophied muscles in order to maintain mechanical similarity in force and power capacities across development. These findings challenge the accepted understanding that juvenile animals are at a performance detriment relative to adults. Instead, for prey–predator interactions necessitating short intervals of high force and power generation relative to body mass, as demonstrated by rapid acceleration of cottontail rabbits fleeing predators, it may be the adults that struggle to keep pace with juveniles.
An epidermis‐permeable dipeptide is a potential cosmetic ingredient with partial agonist/antagonist activity toward fibroblast growth factor receptors
Authors: Yamada Ryuji , Fukumoto Riona , Noyama Chisato , Fujisawa Akio , Oka Syuichi , Imamura Toru 
Published: May 2019

AbstractBackgroundFibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are promising agents with which to treat problems of skin and hair. But their inability to penetrate into the skin due to their large size and hydrophilic nature prevents their topical application as effective cosmetic ingredients.AimsTo identify small peptide(s) with FGF‐like activity and epidermis permeability.MethodsSeveral peptides deduced from our earlier studies were tested for their ability to promote keratinocyte growth and to activate FGF receptors (FGFRs). Permeability was assessed using HPLC after derivatization.ResultsA dipeptide, prolyl‐isoleucine (Pro‐Ile), not only stimulated growth of human keratinocytes, it also moderately activated FGFR3c and FGFR4, and activated FGFR1c to a lesser extent. This receptor specificity of Pro‐Ile is similar to that of FGF18. The activity of Pro‐Ile toward FGFR/BaF3 cells was enhanced by heparin and was inhibited by an FGFR inhibitor, PD173074. Pro‐Ile enhanced the activity of 5 ng/mL FGF18, but suppressed the activity of 50 ng/mL FGF18 toward FGFR3c and FGFR4. Pro‐Ile was found to permeate through validated model human epidermis.ConclusionsThese results indicate that the dipeptide Pro‐Ile acts as a partial agonist/antagonist for FGFR signaling, that it has receptor specificity similar to FGF18, and that it is able to penetrate into the model epidermis. Because FGFs expressed in the cutaneous system are physiological regulators, these results suggest the potential utility of this peptide as a topically applicable cosmetic ingredient for the regulation of skin physiology, hair growth, and wound healing.
Comparative analysis of Insulin‐like growth factor binding protein‐1, placental alpha‐microglobulin‐1, phenol and pH for the diagnosis of preterm premature rupture of membranes between 20 and 36 weeks
Authors: Galletta Marco A. K. , Bittar Roberto E. , Rodrigues Agatha S. , Francisco Rossana P. V. , Zugaib Marcelo 
Published: May 2019

AbstractAimPreterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) is responsible for approximately one‐third of premature births worldwide, and although the diagnosis is often straightforward, this condition can still present difficulties. The purpose of this research was to compare the accuracy of several PPROM diagnostic tests.MethodsA total of 94 pregnant women with clinical suspicion of PPROM who were between 20 and 36 weeks of pregnancy were examined by vaginal speculum, and tests were performed for phenol, pH, insulin‐like growth factor binding protein‐1 (IGFBP‐1) and placental alpha‐microglobulin‐1 (PAMG‐1). All patients were followed up until the diagnosis was fully defined, and a diagnosis of PROM was confirmed by a definitive evolution of the clinical symptoms (visualization of vaginal amniotic fluid or persistence of oligohydramnios).ResultsAfter excluding the cases that could not be definitively diagnosed, a good diagnostic performance of the immunochromatographic tests was observed that was superior to that of the clinical tests. Similar accuracies were observed for IGFBP‐1 (98.7%) and PAMG‐1 (93.9%). However, while the IGFBP‐1 test differed from a vaginal pH ≥7 (88.9%) and the phenol test (85.7%), this did not occur for the PAMG‐1 test. The performance of the tests was modified only by the presence of bleeding (with lower specificity rates for pH and phenol), without interference of gestational age or maternal morbidities.ConclusionImmunochromatographic tests are good tools but should be used sparingly in resource‐poor settings because they are expensive, and there is no significant difference between PAMG‐1 and traditional tests.
Temporal shifts in fluid in pulmonary hypertension with and without sleep apnea
Authors: Carvalho Carolina Gonzaga , Yadollahi Azadeh , Granton John , Ryan Clodagh M. 
Published: May 2019

SummaryOvernight extracellular rostral fluid shifts have been shown to be of importance in patients with fluid‐retaining states and are associated with a higher prevalence of sleep apnea. Pulmonary hypertension is frequently associated with right ventricular dysfunction and progressive right ventricular failure, and an increased prevalence of sleep apnea has been described. In light of the importance of fluid shifts in the pathophysiology of sleep apnea, we aimed to explore temporal fluid shifts in patients with pulmonary hypertension with and without sleep apnea. Patients with pulmonary hypertension (WHO Group 1 or 4) had overnight extracellular rostral fluid shift assessment before and a minimum of 3 months after initiation of pulmonary hypertension‐specific therapy. Fluid shift measurements of extracellular leg, abdominal, thoracic and neck fluid volumes were performed simultaneously. Twenty‐nine patients with pulmonary hypertension (age 55 ± 16 years, 69% female) participated. Sleep apnea was diagnosed in 15 subjects (apnea–hypopnea index 14 [8–27] per hr). There were no significant differences in baseline or overnight leg extracellular rostral fluid, abdominal extracellular rostral fluid, thoracic extracellular rostral fluid or neck extracellular rostral fluid between those with and without sleep apnea. There was a significant inverse correlation between the sleep apnea severity and the overnight change in leg extracellular rostral fluid (r = −0.375, p = 0.049). There were no significant differences detected in overnight extracellular rostral fluid shifts from baseline to follow‐up. Treatment‐naïve patients with pulmonary hypertension both with and without sleep apnea demonstrate overnight extracellular rostral fluid shifts from the legs into the thorax and neck. Pulmonary hypertension‐specific treatment, while significantly improving cardiac haemodynamics, had little impact on nocturnal extracellular rostral fluid shifts or the presence of sleep apnea.
Social psychology, consumer culture and neoliberalism: A response to Phelps and White (2018)
Authors: McDonald Matthew , Gough Brendan , Wearing Stephen 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe following essay responds to three main issues raised by Phelps and White (2018) in their critical commentary on our article (McDonald, Gough, Wearing & Deville, 2017). The first concerns the lack of precision in the conceptualisation of neoliberalism and the recent threats to it as we enter a potentially new phase of capitalism. While we share Phelps and White's concern, we argue that there is value in continuing to use neoliberalism as a concept for understanding some aspects of social behaviour. As to recent threats to neoliberalism, evidence indicates that it will continue to persist in the immediate future. To deal with neoliberalism's conceptual problems in social psychology, Phelps and White advance the potential theory of a ‘market‐derived logics’. We commend the authors for pursuing this endeavor, however, we caution that care needs to be taken in its conceptualisation. Lastly, we discuss Phelps and White's disciplinary reflections on social psychology.
Investigation of blood biomarkers for the diagnosis of mild to moderate asthma in horses
Authors: Gy Clementine , Leclere Mathilde , Vargas Amandine , Grimes Carolyn , Lavoie Jean‐Pierre 
Published: May 2019

AbstractBackgroundAsthma in horses is associated with nonspecific respiratory clinical signs and may be manifested only as exercise intolerance. Its diagnosis relies on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology in the presence of compatible clinical signs. The identification of blood biomarkers for this condition would facilitate diagnosis in the field, because there are regional areas where BAL is not routinely performed in clinical practice.ObjectiveIdentification of blood biomarkers for the diagnosis of asthma in horses.AnimalsFourteen horses with asthma with increased neutrophil numbers in BALF (neutrophilic asthma), 9 healthy control horses, and 10 horses with other pathologic conditions (pathologic controls).MethodsPhysical examination, clinical score, hematology, and BALF cytology (in a subset of horses) were performed. Serum concentrations of surfactant protein D (SP‐D), haptoglobin, and secretoglobin (SCGB) were measured using commercial ELISA assays.ResultsSerum concentration of SP‐D > 43 ng/mL, serum concentration of haptoglobin >5730 ng/mL, and serum concentration of SCGB <19 ng/mL allowed differentiation of horses with neutrophilic asthma from horses of the control groups (healthy and pathologic) with sensitivity of 55, 95, and 75%, and specificity of 67, 28, and 60%, respectively. Specificity of 100% and sensitivity of 45% were obtained with the combination of SP‐D, haptoglobin, and SCGB at the serum concentrations indicated above. Specificity of 95% and sensitivity of 45% were obtained with the combination of SP‐D and SCGB serum concentrations.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceHaptoglobin, SCGB, and SP‐D may be diagnostic aids in horses with clinical signs of lower airway disease and neutrophilic pulmonary inflammation.
Survival, molting pattern, and growth of early blue swimmer crab, Portunus pelagicus, juveniles fed diets containing varying levels of cholesterol
Authors: Noordin Noordiyana M. , Zeng Chaoshu , Southgate Paul C. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThis study examined the effects of dietary cholesterol on the survival, molting pattern, and growth of early juveniles of the blue swimmer crab, Portunus pelagicus. Seven isocaloric diets were formulated to contain cholesterol at 0 (basal diet), 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10, 12.5, and 15 g/kg diet dry weight. Survival ranged from 20 to 47.5%, with the highest survival recorded for crabs fed the diet supplemented with 10 g/kg cholesterol, while the lowest survival was demonstrated by crabs fed the basal diet. The highest occurrence of molt death syndrome was found for crabs fed the diet with cholesterol supplementation of 15 g/kg. A general trend of decreasing development time to the crab 3 (C3) stage was observed with increasing dietary cholesterol supplementation up to a level of 10 g/kg, but this then decreased as dietary cholesterol level was increased to 12.5 and 15 g/kg. The specific growth rates of crabs, calculated for dry weight, carapace width, and carapace length, followed a similar trend. Our results suggest that, under the current feeding conditions, a dietary cholesterol level of 10 g/kg appears to be optimal for the culture of early juveniles of P. pelagicus.
Drying Urban lakes: A consequence of climate change, urbanization or other anthropogenic causes? An insight from northern India
Authors: Singh Durgesh Kumar , Singh Nandita 
Published: May 2019

AbstractUrban lakes in many places around the world are rapidly becoming vulnerable because of such factors as urbanization, climate change, anthropogenic pollutant inputs, etc. The influence of such forcing factors on lakes hydrology must be correctly recognized and addressed in order to protect them over the long term. Facing similar challenges, Sukhna Lake, an urban lake in northern India, has apparently dried up frequently in the recent past. Numerous hypotheses were subsequently proposed to isolate the possible factors affecting the lake and its water budget, including the potential impacts of land use changes, climate change, anthropogenic activities and other natural processes. Using meteorological data, lake‐catchment information and a hydrologic model, these hypotheses were comprehensively analysed. Relevant data on rainfall, wind, temperature, lake inflows, groundwater, lake physical characteristics, catchment land uses, soil texture, etc., were gathered for the analysis. A temporal trend analysis of factors relevant to these hypotheses was undertaken to identify critical drivers of hydrological changes. A sensitivity analysis also was performed, using the lake water budget, to determine and prioritize the predominant factors affecting the lake, leading to the creation of an annual lake water budget for the period from 1971 to 2013, highlighting the lake inflows and outflows. The lake annual inflow (catchment run‐off) was computed by adopting a rainfall–run‐off model based on the SCS‐curve number. Lacking any anthropogenic water withdrawals, the outflow was quantified by estimating the evaporation loss (using the FAO‐based Penman–Monteith Equation). The results of the present study indicate that the process of siltation and the construction of check dams in the catchment, rather than urbanization and climate change, were the dominating reasons contributing to changes in the lake hydrology, and affecting the lake most in recent years.
Impacts of water level changes in the fauna, flora and physical properties over the Balkhash Lake watershed
Authors: Isbekov Kuanysh B. , Tsoy Vyacheslav N. , Crétaux Jean‐Francois , Aladin Nikolai V. , Plotnikov Igor S. , Clos Guillaume , Berge‐Nguyen Muriel , Assylbekova Saule Zh. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe water level variations of the Lake Balkhash, the Kapshagay Reservoir and the Ili River and the linkage with salinity and biological conditions are investigated in this work using different techniques: satellite radar altimetry, in situ gauges, historical archives of fish population counting and field works. We show that it is possible now to monitor, over decades, in near real time, with high precision, the water level changes in the Lake Balkhash from satellite altimetry, over the reservoir and also along the Ili River. The vulnerability of the lake fauna and flora populations is enhanced by the morphometry of the lake: shallow and separation of the eastern basin from the western basin through the narrow Uzun‐Aral strait. Water policy of the Ili River also plays a fundamental role in the evolution of the Balkhash Lake. The Ili River that provides 80% of the surface water of the lake is a transboundary river. Development of intense irrigated agriculture in the upstream part of this river, located in the Chinese territory, could lead in the future to high hydrological stress in the downstream regions with potentially high damage in the delta and for fishery production. We show here the recent evolution of the Lake Balkhash basin from satellite data. Some interannual oscillation of 6–8 years over the last decade has been highlighted, with a water level of the lake still at a high value, but prediction on increasing irrigation is also highlighting the vulnerability of this lake. Linkage between water level change along the river and the downstream waters is also investigated. It shows that the role of the reservoir is not fundamental in the understanding of the Lake Balkhash water level changes which is in contrast highly correlated to upstream river level changes.
Understanding self‐ascription
Authors: Jackson Frank , Stoljar Daniel 
Published: May 2019

AbstractDavid Lewis argues that believing something is self‐ascribing a property rather than holding true a proposition. But what is self‐ascription? Is it some new mysterious primitive? Is Lewis saying that every belief you have is about you? Several recent authors have suggested that, in the light of these questions, Lewis's theory should be rejected, despite its enormous influence. But this neglects the fact that Lewis makes two relevant proposals about belief: one about belief de se, another about belief de re. It is the second that prompts these questions but the first that is central to his theory.
Translating probiotic science into practice
Authors: Chambers L. , Avery A. , Dalrymple J. , Farrell L. , Gibson G. , Harrington J. , Rijkers G. , Rowland I. , Spiro A. , Varela‐Moreiras G. , Vokes L. , Younge L. , Whelan K. , Stanner S. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractScientific and clinical evidence on the health effects of probiotics has expanded rapidly in recent years and points towards benefits for a number of specific health conditions, particularly those related to the gut. Healthcare professionals are important conduits in the transfer of evidence‐based messages on probiotics, but research indicates many do not consider themselves to have good knowledge in this area. To identify potential solutions to support healthcare professionals, the British Nutrition Foundation held a one‐day roundtable event on 7 February 2019 to gather expert views on the content of, and best delivery mode for, evidence‐based resources to guide healthcare professional advice about the use of probiotics. This report describes the main themes emerging from the discussions and the group's recommendation for the development of a UK‐focused online toolkit for healthcare professionals, which assimilates, appraises and translates current scientific knowledge of probiotics to promote evidence‐based practice for the benefit of patients.