bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Predictors of cardiorespiratory fitness improvement in phase II cardiac rehabilitation
Authors: Abu‐Haniyeh Ahmed , Shah Nishant P. , Wu Yuping , Cho Leslie , Ahmed Haitham M. 
Published: October 2018

BackgroundCardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and has been shown to reduce cardiovascular events and death. However, data about predictors of fitness improvement during CR are limited and conflicting. The objective of this study was to determine predictors of improvement in metabolic equivalents of task (METs) based on formal exercise testing throughout phase II CR.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 20 671 patients enrolled in phase II CR at our center from 2006 to 2016. Patients who completed 36 sessions and had entry and exit exercise stress tests were included for study. The short form‐36 (SF‐36) questionnaire was used to assess quality‐of‐life. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to determine independent predictors of METs improvement.ResultsOf the full cohort, 827 patients completed 36 sessions and had entry/exit stress test data. The majority of patients (N = 647, 78.2%) had improvement in METs (mean Δ 2.0 ± 1.2 METs), including patients ≥65 and < 65 years old (77% vs 79%, P = 0.46 for difference). METs improvement was negatively associated with body mass index, diabetes, left ventricular dysfunction, and poor baseline fitness; and positively associated with SF‐36 score (P < 0.05 for all). After multivariable adjustment, improvement was no longer affected by age, ejection fraction, or baseline fitness. Patients with poor fitness (≤5 METS) and adequate fitness (> 5 METS) both had improvement, with no statistical difference between the groups (P = 0.36).ConclusionsIn a large cohort of phase II CR patients, improvement in CRF was seen in the majority of patients across all ages, genders, and levels of baseline fitness.
Association between tobacco use, pain expression, and coping strategies among patients with advanced cancer
Authors: Dev Rony , Kim Yu Jung , Reddy Akhila , Hui David , Tanco Kimberson , Liu Diane , Park Minjeong , Williams Janet , Carmack Cindy , Bruera Eduardo 
Published: October 2018

BackgroundThe objective of the current study was to evaluate the association between tobacco use, symptom expression, and coping strategies in patients with advanced cancer.MethodsThe authors prospectively enrolled patients with advanced cancer and collected data regarding patient demographics, cancer diagnosis, morphine equivalent daily dose, cigarette smoking status using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, symptom expression as measured by the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System, the Cut down/Annoyed/Guilty/Eye opener alcoholism questionnaire, the Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain–short form survey, and the Brief COPE Questionnaire.ResultsAmong 399 patients, 195 (49%) were never‐smokers, 158 (40%) were former smokers, and 46 (11%) were current smokers. The most common malignancies were gastrointestinal (21%) and breast (19%). Current smokers demonstrated significantly higher pain scores at the time of consultation compared with former or never‐smokers (mean 6.4 vs 5.9 vs 5.1, respectively; P = .015), demonstrated increased morphine equivalent daily dose (median 90 mg/day vs 60 mg/day vs 50 mg/day, respectively; P = .002), were more likely to screen as positive on the Cut down/Annoyed/Guilty/Eye opener questionnaire (33% vs 24% vs 8.7%, respectively; P < .0001) and were more likely to screen as positive (≥4) on the Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain–short form survey (74% vs 13% vs 9.3%, respectively; P < .0001). Compared with former and never‐smokers, current smokers were significantly more likely to cope maladaptively with substance use (P = .02), denial (P = .007), and self‐blame (P < .0001).ConclusionsAmong patients with advanced cancer, current and former smokers appear to be significantly more likely to have higher pain expression and thus require higher opioid doses, and to have more risk factors for using opioids in a nonprescribed manner. The results of the current study highlight the need to provide closer monitoring and increased psychosocial support for patients with cancer who smoke while receiving chronic opioid therapy.
A Markov‐based model for predicting the development trend of soil microbial communities in saline‐alkali land in Wudi County
Authors: Wu Chong , Yin Yanlei , Yang Xuemei , Feng Lijuan , Tang Haixia , Tao Jihan 
Published: October 2018

SummaryIn October 2015, different salinity soils were collected in the coastal area of Wudi, Shandong, China. The soil microbial community composition, soil catalase, urease activity, and soil physicochemical properties were studied. The results showed that Nitrospira was dominant in the bacterial community, and it was the most related to total potassium. Cladosporium and Fusarium accounted for the dominant fungal community, and urease, total nitrogen, and Cladosporium were the most relevant. At the same time, urease and Fusarium are the most relevant. The species composition of bacterial and fungal communities in the top soil of each saline‐alkali soil is the most abundant, and the degree of homogeneity is high. The activities of catalase in soils with heavy, moderate, and light salinity were 3.52 to 4.56, 3.08 to 4.61, and 5.81 to 6.91 mL•g‐1, respectively. Catalase activity all of them are characterized by gradual increase with soil depth; soil total potassium is directly related to catalase, pH, organic matter, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus are indirectly related to catalase by total potassium. The urease activities of the saline‐alkalinity soils were 0.04‐0.52, 0.08‐1.07, and 0.27‐8.21 mg•g‐1, respectively, and the urease activity gradually decreased as the soil depth increased. Small trend; soil total nitrogen is directly related to urease, pH, organic matter and total potassium are indirectly related to urease through total nitrogen. The CCA ranking showed that total phosphorus had the greatest impact on bacterial communities, while urease had the greatest impact on the fungal community.
Fundamental Basis for Distinctive Sensing of H2 in Humid Environment
Authors: Wang Zhuo , Deng Mengjie , Xia Xiaohong , Gao Yun , Shao Guosheng 
Published: October 2018

Accurate sensing of trace amount of hydrogen without interference from environment is highly desirable in timely detection of possible leakage when using hydrogen as a clean energy source. Humidity in air is usually considered as the main challenge to the performance of room temperature hydrogen sensors. In this work, we have demonstrated distinctive sensing of H2 in humid environment at room temperature, using (002) oriented TiO2 thin film as active sensing material. Through first‐principle calculations in the framework of density functional theory, we have clarified the interaction between H2O and rutile TiO2 (002) surface. It was found that H2O can be easily split into –H and –OH with a negligible activation energy below 0.07 eV on the TiO2 (002) surface. Catalytic splitting of water has rather little effect on the height of Schottky barrier between Pt and the TiO2 (002) surface, thus resulting in ignorable impact on hydrogen sensing property. The (002) oriented TiO2 thin film hydrogen sensor could be utilized in various humid environment at room temperature.
Food Genomics for the Characterization of PDO and PGI Virgin Olive Oils
Authors: Agrimonti Caterina , Marmiroli Nelson 
Published: October 2018

Prized virgin olive oils are protected by the certification brands PDO (protected designation of origin) and PGI (protected geographical indication) introduced by European Union in 1992. These brands rely on a known geographical origin, olive varieties, and production methods. Because branded oils are relatively expensive for the consumer, they have been targeted by fraudulent practices, such as addition/substitution with low quality oils, or non‐conformity with the discipline of production. Food genomics is a discipline that, before the analysis of residual DNA in food, allows for the identification of species or varieties of raw materials in order to establish if a product complies or not with the label. After invention of product category rules (PCR) that allow for the amplification of a few and degraded DNA molecules, food genomics has been applied in the traceability of different foods. Olive oil represents a real challenge, due to its characteristics, including the difficulty of extracting DNA in sufficient amount and of quality for PCR. Several studies have reported methods of DNA extraction from virgin olive oil that have led to satisfactory analysis with PCR. This review is a perspective study in this direction.Practical Applications: Virgin olive oil production is an important sector of Mediterranean countries and methods for controlling their origin and quality are of great interest to producers and consumers. Food genomics may be an alternative or complementary platform to the traditional analytical methods based on the determination of chemical composition.In this review, the molecular tools to trace the varietal composition of virgin olive oil and to detect the adulterant oils from other botanical species are summarized.
NMR Studies on Italian PDO Olive Oils and their Potential in Olive‐Tree‐Derived Products Characterization
Authors: Consonni Roberto , Cagliani Laura R. 
Published: October 2018

In Italy, 42 PDO extra virgin olive oil (EVOOs) are present to date, with the chronologically first one registered in late 1996. PDO EVOOs are broadly distributed along Italy with a higher concentration in the central and southern regions due to the optimal pedoclimatic conditions for olive growth (Olea europaea L.). In this review, NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) studies focused on Italian PDO EVOOs and the application of NMR spectroscopy in the analysis of other olive‐tree‐derived products are reported. NMR is historically known as the principal analytical technique useful for structural characterization of single molecule in solution. In the past few years, NMR evolved to cover a pivotal role for the analysis of different chemical compounds present in a mixture, without the need of any chemical derivatization of sample. Concerning the 1H NMR spectrum of a typical EVOO sample, the dominant signals due to acylglycerols, together with other minor components like aldehydes, sterols, and terpens, can be characterized within a single experiment in the organic extract of olive oil. The minor component content is particularly interesting because it allows for geographical origin discrimination and cultivar discrimination. Other products derived from the olive tree and investigated by NMR have also been discussed, specifically, table olives, pomace, and olive paste.Practical Applications: The studies here highlight the capability of NMR in discriminating Italian PDO EVOOs from EVOOs of other countries, Italian PDO EVOOs of different restricted area within the same Italian region, and EVOOs obtained from different cultivars. In addition, NMR spectroscopy allows the evaluation of chemical constituents in olive‐tree‐derived products like olive paste, pomace, and wastewater, detecting bioactive compounds. Therefore the NMR approach could be practically applied in the study of EVOO and olive‐tree‐derived products by control agencies, regulatory authorities, for the disclosure of new fraud practices and to protect PDO products. Practical applications could also involve the search of olive‐tree‐based bioactive compounds for their potential use as nutraceuticals.Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) is used to discriminate Italian Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) extra‐virgin olive oils (EVOOs) from EVOOs of other countries, Italian PDO EVOOs of different restricted area within the same Italian region, and EVOOs obtained from different cultivars. The chemical constituents of olive‐tree‐derived products are also determined. Results strongly support the use of NMR by control agencies and regulatory authorities.
Impact of the Extraction Technique and Genotype on the Oil Yield and Composition of Lipophilic Compounds in the Oil Recovered from Japanese Quince (Chaenomeles japonica) Seeds
Authors: Górnaś Paweł , Siger Aleksander , Rudzińska Magdalena , Grygier Anna , Marszałkiewicz Sylwia , Ying Qian , Sobieszczańska Natalia , Segliņa Dalija 
Published: October 2018

The impact of the extraction technique and genotype on the oil yield and profile/concentration of fatty acids, tocopherols, sterols, and squalene in oil obtained from the seeds of three Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica) cultivars (“Rondo,” “Darius,” and “Rasa”) are studied. The oil recovery from Japanese quince seeds is affected by two factors; extraction technique, and genotype. The lowest oil recovery is recorded for the cold‐press method and cv. “Rondo,” and the highest for ultrasonic extractions and cv. “Rasa.” The profile of fatty acids in Japanese quince seed oil is dominated by three fatty acids C18:2, C18:1, and C16:0. The extraction method does not impact fatty acid and tocopherol composition as well as squalene content, as opposed to genotype, which has a statistically significant impact. The composition of tocopherols in the Japanese quince seed oil is dominated by the α‐T (97%), while the β‐T and γ‐T constituted only minor level (below 2% of each). The extraction type and genotype have a significant impact on the composition of the most of sterols. Regardless of the type of extraction and genotype, the β‐sitosterol consists of over 80% of total sterols in Japanese quince seed oil. The plant genotype is the key factor, which determines the profile of the fatty acids and the concentration of bioactive compounds in the extracted oil from Japanese quince seed, while the extraction technique plays a secondary role.Practical Applications: The agro‐industrial by‐products generated by the fruit industry, for example, seeds, continue to rise year to year. One of the more popular processed fruit crop is Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica). This study demonstrates the impact of the extraction technique (four methods of extractions: cold‐pressing, supercritical CO2 fluid, ultrasound‐assisted, and Soxhlet) and genotype (three cultivars “Rondo,” “Darius,” and “Rasa”) on oil yield, fatty acid profile, and concentration of tocopherols, sterols, and squalene. Provided information can help with more efficient utilization of the tonnes of seeds generated by the fruit industry and consequently contributing to the more effective use of harvested plant material as well as health, economic, and environmental benefits.The impact of the extraction technique and genotype on the oil yield and profile/concentration of fatty acids, tocopherols, sterols and squalene in oil obtained from the seeds of three Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica) cultivars (“Rondo,” “Darius,” and “Rasa”) are studied. The plant genotype is the key factor which determines the profile of the fatty acids and the concentration of bioactive compounds in the extracted oil from Japanese quince seed, while the extraction technique plays a secondary role.
Food addiction distinguishes an overweight phenotype that can be reversed by low calorie diet
Authors: Guzzardi Maria Angela , Garelli Silvia , Agostini Alessandro , Filidei Elena , Fanelli Flaminia , Giorgetti Assuero , Mezzullo Marco , Fucci Sabrina , Mazza Roberta , Vicennati Valentina , Iozzo Patricia , Pagotto Uberto 
Published: October 2018

AbstractSimilarities in neural activation patterns in obese and substance‐dependent subjects led to the food addiction concept, but studies exploiting this issue for obesity stratification are missing. We assessed brain activation in response to food cues using 18F‐2‐fluoro‐2‐deoxy‐glucose‐PET in 36 overweight women, stratified by low or high food addiction groups according to the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS). Assessments were repeated after a 3‐month diet. We found greater activation in thalamus, hypothalamus, midbrain, putamen, and occipital cortex (reward), but not in prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortices (control/reward receipt) in the high‐YFAS versus low‐YFAS group. In high‐YFAS subjects, orbitofrontal responsiveness was inversely related to YFAS severity and hunger rating, and positive associations were observed between regional brain activation and lipid intake. A 3‐month diet abolished group differences in brain activation. Our data suggest that food addiction distinguishes an overweight phenotype that can be reversed by diet, opening to personalized strategies in obesity treatment.
Variance components genetic association test for zero‐inflated count outcomes
Authors: Goodman Matthew O. , Chibnik Lori , Cai Tianxi 
Published: October 2018

AbstractCommonly in biomedical research, studies collect data in which an outcome measure contains informative excess zeros; for example, when observing the burden of neuritic plaques (NPs) in brain pathology studies, those who show none contribute to our understanding of neurodegenerative disease. The outcome may be characterized by a mixture distribution with one component being the “structural zero” and the other component being a Poisson distribution. We propose a novel variance components score test of genetic association between a set of genetic markers and a zero‐inflated count outcome from a mixture distribution. This test shares advantageous properties with single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)‐set tests which have been previously devised for standard continuous or binary outcomes, such as the sequence kernel association test. In particular, our method has superior statistical power compared to competing methods, especially when there is correlation within the group of markers, and when the SNPs are associated with both the mixing proportion and the rate of the Poisson distribution. We apply the method to Alzheimer’s data from the Rush University Religious Orders Study and Memory and Aging Project, where as proof of principle we find highly significant associations with the APOE gene, in both the “structural zero” and “count” parameters, when applied to a zero‐inflated NPs count outcome.
Quickflow response to forest harvesting and recovery in a northern hardwood forest landscape
Authors: Buttle James M. , Webster Kara L. , Hazlett Paul W. , Jeffries Dean S. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractForest harvesting often increases catchment quickflow (QF, water delivered rapidly to the stream channel), a metric of high‐flow events controlling a catchment's solute and sediment export. Nevertheless, our understanding of QF responses to various silvicultural strategies (e.g., clearcutting, selection harvest, and shelterwood harvest) is incomplete. We present a 31‐year examination of QF delivery from treatment (clearcut, selection harvest, and shelterwood harvest) and control catchments in a deciduous forest landscape in central Ontario, Canada. Growing season root‐zone storage capacity was estimated using a water balance approach to evaluate temporal changes in QF response to precipitation (P) for pretreatment and posttreatment periods. Threshold relationships between QF and P were assessed for control and treatment catchments for pretreatment and posttreatment periods using piecewise regression. Root‐zone storage capacity demarcated shifts in the hydrologic regime arising from forest harvesting and subsequent regeneration. This was particularly pronounced for clearcutting where postharvest decline in root‐zone storage capacity was followed by a rise to preharvest values. Similar pretreatment threshold relationships between QF and P, and near‐identical P thresholds for producing significant QF, reflected similar soil and overburden depths in the catchments. Harvesting effects were indicated by increases in QF/P ratios for relative small P and the number of P events that generated QF, thus changing treatment QF vs. P threshold relationships. Prior to harvesting there was no significant increase in QF with P below a threshold P of 35–45 mm; however, there was a significant QF vs. P relationship below this threshold for all treatments postharvest. Clearcutting increased the number of QF events for the entire postharvest period and the first 9‐year postharvest compared to the other treatments; nevertheless, evidence for intertreatment differences in total QF depth delivered from the catchments during the growing season was inconclusive. Our work suggests that changes in threshold relationships between QF and P, coupled with knowledge of the physical processes underlying them, are useful when evaluating hydrologic responses to forest harvesting.
Actual and counterfactual growth incidence and delta Lorenz curves: Estimation and inference
Authors: Ferreira Francisco H.G. , Firpo Sergio , Galvao Antonio F. 
Published: October 2018

SummaryDifferent economic growth episodes display very different distributional characteristics, both across countries and over time. Growth is sometimes accompanied by rising and sometimes by falling inequality. Applied economists have come to rely on the growth incidence curve, which gives the quantile‐specific rate of income growth over a certain period, to describe these differences. This paper introduces a mean‐independent analogue, the delta Lorenz curve, which gives the cumulative change in income share up to each quantile. We also develop estimation and inference procedures for both functions of quantiles. We establish the limiting null distribution of the test statistics of interest for those functions, and propose resampling methods to implement inference in practice. The proposed methods are used to compare the growth processes in the USA and Brazil during 1995–2007. Although growth in the average real wages was disappointing in both countries, the distribution of that growth was markedly different. In the USA, wage growth was mediocre for the bottom 80% of the sample, but much more rapid for the top 20%. In Brazil, conversely, wage growth was rapid below the median, and negative at the top. Wage shares fell in the USA up to the 83rd percentile, and rose in Brazil up to the 65th percentile.