bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dietary dl-methionyl-dl-methionine supplementation increased growth performance, antioxidant ability, the content of essential amino acids and improved the diversity of intestinal microbiota in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Authors: Guo Tian-Yu , Zhao Wei- , He Ju-Yun , Liao Shi-Yu , Xie Jia-Jun , Xie Shi-Wei , Masagounder Karthik , Liu Yong-Jian , Tian Li-Xia , Niu Jin 
Published: September 2019

AbstractThe dipeptide dl-methionyl-dl-methionine (Met-Met) has extremely low water solubility and better absorption than other methionine sources (such as dl-methionine and l-methionine) available in the market. Therefore, six diets (D1, D2, D3, D4, D5 and D6) containing 0, 0·07, 0·15, 0·21, 0·28 and 0·38 % Met-Met were formulated to investigate the effects of Met-Met in juvenile Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (17 g initial body weight). The results indicated that percentage weight gain and specific growth rate of fish fed with D2 and D3 diets were higher than those fed with D1, D4–D6 diets. The levels of total essential amino acid in whole body of fish fed with D3 and D4 diets were significantly higher than those fed the D1 diet. Superoxide dismutase activity and malondialdehyde content have no significant difference in fish fed the diet with or without Met-Met supplementation. Majority of reads derived from the fish intestine belonged to members of Fusobacteria, followed by Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria. Diversity of intestinal microbiota and total antioxidant capacity in fish fed with D3 diet was significantly higher than that of other groups. Based on the growth results, the authors conclude that the optimal level of Met is 0·61 % Met with the addition of 0·15 % Met-Met for grower-phase O. niloticus.
Factors contributing to maize and bean yield gaps in Central America vary with site and agroecological conditions
Authors: Eash L. , Fonte S. J. , Sonder K. , Honsdorf N. , Schmidt A. , Govaerts B. , Verhulst N. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractIn Central America, population and food demands are rising rapidly, while yields of staple crops, maize and beans, remain low. To identify the main factors limiting production, field trials were established in six maize- and bean-producing regions in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, representing about three-quarters of the maize-producing area. Potential yield-limiting factors were evaluated in 2017 and included: water stress, nutrient deficiency, pest and disease pressure, and/or inter-plant competition. When considering all sites, improved fertilization and pest and disease control significantly improved yields in maize by 11 and 16%, respectively but did not have a significant effect in beans. Irrigation had no effect due to good rainfall distribution over the growing season. Optimized planting arrangement resulted in an average 18% increase in maize yield, making it the most promising factor evaluated. The treatment and site combinations that increased both crop productivity and net profit included management changes that improved resource use efficiency. However, the contribution of each limiting factor to yield gaps varied across sites and no treatment was effective at increasing yield consistently across sites. Production constraints are highly dependent on local management practices and agroecological location. Therefore, public and private development efforts that seek to increase production should conduct multi-year, participatory experiments to identify limitations pertinent to the area in question. The next step is then to evaluate sustainable and profitable practices, to address those limitations and provide sound recommendations to farmers while decreasing the environmental and economic costs.
Effects of liquid protein feed on growth performance and ruminal metabolism of growing lambs fed low-quality forage and compared to conventional protein sources
Authors: Chegini R. , Kazemi-Bonchenari M. , Khaltabadi-Farahani A. H. , Khodaei-Motlagh M. , Salem A. Z. M. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractThe present study was conducted to assess the inclusion of liquid protein feed (maize steep liquor; MSL) in growing lambs fed low-quality forage (400 g/kg wheat straw, dry mater basis) compared with two protein sources (soybean meal; SBM, and cottonseed meal; CSM). Eighteen male Farahani lambs, average body weight 36 ± 3.3 kg, were allocated to individual pens for 9 weeks. Three protein sources were: (1) MSL; (2) SBM and (3) CSM. Feed intakes did not differ among treatments. Growth rate and feed conversion ratio were improved in SBM-fed lambs. Nitrogen efficiency was improved in MSLv.CSM-fed lambs. Digestibility of fibre was enhanced in lambs fed SBM diet. Ruminal short chain fatty acid was highest in lambs fed SMB and lowest in lambs fed CSM. The urinary allantoin concentration was greater in SBM-fed lambs, with improved microbial crude protein synthesis. Blood urea nitrogen tended to be reduced in SBM-fed lambs. Dressing percentage improved in SBM-fed lambs. Lambs fed with SBM also grew faster and more efficiently than lambs fed either of the other two diets. However, regardless of the positive effects of SBM on the performance and ruminal fermentation profile observed in the current study, the MSL diet could be a profitable protein source in comparison to CSM in growing lambs fed low-quality forage. In conclusion, the present study indicates a positive outlook for feeding a liquid protein source to growing lambs fed low-quality forage such as wheat straw.
Single right coronary artery with right ventricular fistula and congenital absence of left coronary artery: an extremely rare combination
Authors: Yoldaş Tamer , Beyazal Meryem , Örün Utku A. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractWe report an extremely rare case of a 14-month-old girl who was diagnosed with a single right coronary artery with coronary artery fistula communicating with the right ventricle and congenital absence of left coronary artery. Angiography showed a dilated and tortuous single right coronary artery draining into the right ventricle, absence of left coronary system, and left ventricular coronary circulation supplied via collateral vessels.
Total, added and free sugar intakes, dietary sources and determinants of consumption in Portugal: the National Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (IAN-AF 2015–2016)
Authors: Marinho Ana Rita , Severo Milton , Correia Daniela , Lobato Liliane , Vilela Sofia , Oliveira Andreia , Ramos Elisabete , Torres Duarte , Lopes Carla 
Published: September 2019

AbstractObjective:To assess total sugar (TS), added sugar (AS) and free sugar (FS) intakes, dietary sources, adherence to recommendations and determinants of consumption, in a Portuguese national sample.Design:Cross-sectional study. Dietary assessment was obtained by two food diaries in children aged <10 years and two non-consecutive 24 h recalls for other age groups. TS, AS and FS intakes were estimated by using SPADE software. TS content in food was estimated at the ingredient level. AS content in food was assessed through a systematic methodology and FS was based on the WHO definition.Setting:National Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (IAN-AF 2015–2016), Portugal.Participants:Representative sample from the Portuguese population, aged from 3 months to 84 years (n 5811).Results:Mean daily intake and contribution to total energy intake (E%) were 84·3 g/d (18·5 E%) for TS, 32·1 g/d (6·8 E%) for AS and 35·3 g/d (7·5 E%) for FS. Of the population, 76 % adhered to the FS recommendation (FS < 10 E%). The lowest adherence was in children (51·6 %) and adolescents (51·3 %). The main dietary source of TS was fruit across all ages, except in adolescents which was soft drinks. In children, the main dietary sources of FS were yoghurts and sweets, soft drinks in adolescents and table sugar in adults/elderly. FS intake was lower in children with more educated parents and in adults who practised physical activity regularly, and higher among smokers.Conclusions:Interventions ought to be planned towards decreasing intakes of added and free sugars considering population-specific characteristics.
Psychometric Properties of the Multifaceted Gender-Related Attributes Survey (GERAS)
Authors: Gruber Freya M. , Distlberger Eva , Scherndl Thomas , Ortner Tuulia M. , Pletzer Belinda 
Published: September 2019

Abstract. Since the 1920s, psychologists have sought to assess the sex- and gender-related attributes of men and women, including primarily aspects of personality and focusing on positive characteristics. In this paper, we introduce a new questionnaire for assessing gender-related attributes with a broader approach than provided by previous ones. Therefore, the questionnaire includes (a) not only personality traits but also cognitions and interests and (b) not only positive but also negative and neutral characteristics. Two independent datasets were acquired (Study 1: N = 1,466; Study 2: N = 471) for development and psychometric analyses. Factor analysis confirmed a hierarchical structure with two separate dimensions of masculinity and femininity overarching the multiple first-order domains of personality, cognition, and interests. Analyses of reliability and convergence with other gender identity and personality scales revealed sufficient values. The new instrument discriminated between the biological sexes and was related to the gender quotas in participants’ occupations and social environments, thus providing evidence for criterion-related validity. Therefore, we propose the Gender-Related Attributes Survey (GERAS) as a useful tool for objectively assessing gender-related attributes across multiple facets in gender and sex-difference research.
Field Observations and Physical‐Biogeochemical Modeling Suggest Low Silicon Affinity for Antarctic Fast Ice Diatoms
Authors: Lim S. M. , Moreau S. , Vancoppenolle M. , Deman F. , Roukaerts A. , Meiners K. M. , Janssens J. , Lannuzel D. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractWe use field observations from late spring and a one‐dimensional sea‐ice model to explore a high nutrient, high chlorophyll system in Antarctic land‐fast ice. Lack of variability in chlorophyll a concentration and organic carbon content over the 17‐day sampling period suggests a balance between macronutrient sources and biological uptake. Nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, and ammonium were measured at concentrations well above salinity‐predicted levels, indicating nutrient accumulation fueled by remineralization processes. However, silicic acid (DSi) was depleted relative to seawater and was potentially limiting. One‐dimensional physical‐biogeochemical sea‐ice model simulations at the observation site achieve extremely high algal growth and DSi uptake with a DSi half‐saturation constant used for pelagic diatoms (KSi = 3.9 μM) and are not sufficiently improved by tuning the DSi:carbon ratio or DSi remineralization rate. In contrast, diatom biomass in the bottom ice, which makes up 70% of the observed chlorophyll, is simulated using KSi an order of magnitude higher (50 μM), a value similar to that measured in a few Antarctic diatom cultures. Some sea‐ice diatoms may therefore experience limitation at relatively high ambient DSi concentrations compared to pelagic diatoms. Our study highlights the urgent need for observational data on sea‐ice algal affinity for DSi to further support this hypothesis. A lower algal growth rate increases model predictions of DSi in the upper sea ice to more accurate concentrations. The model currently does not account for the non‐diatom communities that dominate those layers, and thus, modeling diatom communities overpredicts DSi uptake in the upper ice.
Continental‐Scale Landscape Evolution: A History of North American Topography
Authors: Fernandes Victoria M. , Roberts Gareth G. , White Nicky , Whittaker Alexander C. 
Published: September 2019

The generation and evolution of continental topography are fundamental geologic and geomorphic concerns. In particular, the history of landscape development might contain useful information about the spatiotemporal evolution of deep Earth processes, such as mantle convection. A significant challenge is to generate observations and theoretical predictions of sufficient fidelity to enable landscape evolution to be constrained at scales of interest. Here, we combine substantial inventories of stratigraphic and geomorphic observations with inverse and forward modeling approaches to determine how the North American landscape evolved. First, stratigraphic markers are used to estimate postdepositional regional uplift. Present‐day elevations of these deposits demonstrate that >2 km of long‐wavelength surface uplift centered on the Colorado‐Rocky‐Mountain plateaus occurred in Cenozoic times. Second, to bridge the gaps between these measurements, an inverse modeling scheme is used to calculate the smoothest spatiotemporal pattern of rock uplift rate that yields the smallest misfit between 4,161 observed and calculated longitudinal river profiles. Our results suggest that Cenozoic regional uplift occurred in a series of stages, in agreement with independent stratigraphic observations. Finally, a landscape evolution model driven by this calculated rock uplift history is used to determine drainage patterns, denudation, and sedimentary flux from Late Cretaceous times until the present day. These patterns are broadly consistent with stratigraphic and thermochronologic observations. We conclude that a calibrated inverse modeling strategy can be used to reliably extract the temporal and spatial evolution of the North American landscape at geodynamically useful scales.
The Solar Clock
Authors: Russell C.T. , Jian L.K. , Luhmann J.G. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractThe Sun is powered by a very stable source of fusion energy in its core that radiates that energy outward in a constant flow. Yet it has a cycle of magnetic dynamo activity whose strength and duration are variable. This variability, which affects the Earth's “space climate,” points to temporal changes in the convective and diffusive transport of magnetic flux above the tachocline, where the flux is generated. The longest record we have of this variability is the time series of sunspot numbers. This record suggests that the interior of the Sun follows a clock‐like magnetic flux production cycle with a length of close to 11.05 years. The variations in sunspot cycle duration, as well as the sunspot number rise and fall times, their hemispheric asymmetries, and the maximum sunspot numbers of the individual cycles are likely produced in the process of the magnetic flux transport. Helioseismology continues to shed more light on the convection zone variabilities, including the “torsional oscillations” that seem to have a special connection to the emerging strong magnetic fluxes that produce the sunspots. These new observations may eventually lead to an explanation for the surprisingly good correlation between the rate of sunspot appearance and the maximum sunspot number and to a better understanding of the relationship between the solar dynamo and the sunspot number cycle. Better understanding of the polar regions awaits long‐term monitoring with a polar solar mission. Better predictions of near‐term space weather could be obtained from a permanent L5 monitor.
PDD_GBR: Research on Evaporation Duct Height Prediction Based on Gradient Boosting Regression Algorithm
Authors: Zhao Wenpeng , Li Jincai , Zhao Jun , Zhao Dandan , Zhu Xiaoyu 
Published: September 2019

AbstractEvaporation duct is a special atmospheric stratification that always exists at sea, which has an important influence on electromagnetic wave propagation. Accurate prediction of evaporation duct height is of great significance for radio information system. In the era of big data, machine learning has been widely used in various research work and achieved a series of excellent results. Based on the observation data method, this paper studies the prediction model using Gradient Boosting Regression algorithm (GBR) and proposes the pure data‐driven GBR (PDD_GBR), GBR_Paulus‐Jeske (GBR_PJ), and GBR_Babin‐Young‐Carton (GBR_BYC) evaporation duct prediction models. Simultaneously, traditional Paulus‐Jeske (PJ) model, Babin‐Young‐Carton (BYC) model, and existing SVR_PJ model are introduced into the experiment to make a comparison. The comprehensive performance of PDD_GBR model is optimal among these models with high stability and strong generalization ability, whose prediction accuracy has a great promotion compared with other models.
Exploring the Gender Development Histories of Children and Adolescents Presenting for Gender Affirming Medical Care
Authors: Kuper Laura E. , Lindley Louis , Lopez Ximena 
Published: September 2019

Objective: The present study descriptively explores the childhood experiences, social transition and disclosure milestones and trajectories, reactions to disclosure, gender affirmation at school, dissatisfaction with sex characteristics, and desires for gender affirming medical care (GAMC) within a sample of transgender children and adolescents presenting for GAMC. Method: Participants were children and adolescents ( N = 224; Age 6–17 years) who participated in an initial assessment at a multidisciplinary gender affirming program in Dallas, Texas. Data were extracted from assessment notes and participants also completed self-report measures of current depression, anxiety, and body-related dissatisfaction. Results: Most participants reported awareness of their gender identity in childhood or early adolescence and started to take steps in social transition and disclosure during adolescence, prior to presenting for GAMC. However, these milestones were not confined to 1 developmental period, and the specific progression of milestones, degree of dissatisfaction with sex characteristics, and desires for GAMC beyond feminizing/masculinizing hormone therapy were diverse. Gender differences were found in milestones, requests to change name and pronoun at school, dissatisfaction with sex characteristics, and GAMC desires. Dissatisfaction with body shape and voice were associated with greater symptoms of depression. Somewhat surprisingly, most participants did not report any distressing reactions to disclosure (63.6%). However, most were not able to use the bathroom associated with their affirmed gender at school. Conclusions: Clinical approaches sensitive to the diversity of developmental contexts, identities, and desires for GAMC are needed. Implications for Impact Statement By descriptively exploring the gender development histories of transgender children and adolescents presenting for gender affirming medical care, the present study assists providers in anticipating the trajectories and associated needs of this rapidly growing population.
Psychological Functioning, Parenting Stress, and Parental Support Among Clinic-Referred Prepubertal Gender-Expansive Children
Authors: Kolbuck Victoria D. , Muldoon Abigail L. , Rychlik Karen , Hidalgo Marco A. , Chen Diane 
Published: September 2019

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe psychological functioning, parenting stress, and parental support of gender expansiveness in prepubertal gender-expansive children presenting to a specialized pediatric gender clinic and to examine relations between parenting factors and child psychological functioning. Method: Standard-of-care questionnaires were completed by parents of all children presenting for services. Data from prepubertal children (i.e., Tanner Stage 1 of pubertal development) seen between August 2013 and April 2018 were extracted from patient charts. Results: Data were analyzed from 71 youth ages 3–11, including 20% ( n = 14) ages 5 and younger. Fourteen percent of the sample ( n = 10) met diagnostic cutoff criteria for generalized anxiety disorder, and 20% ( n = 14) for oppositional defiant disorder. Caregivers reported varying levels of support of their child’s gender expansiveness (female caregivers: M = 78.85, SD = 8.68, range = 56–90; male caregivers: M = 77.32, SD = 10.37, range = 53–90), and only 3% ( n = 2) of caregivers endorsed parenting stress levels in the high range. Parenting stress significantly predicted higher symptom counts across all 8 diagnoses. Unexpectedly, higher levels of parental support predicted more symptoms of major depressive disorder and dysthymia. Parenting stress was a significant moderator of relations between gender nonconformity and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) hyperactive–impulsive type and conduct disorder symptoms; higher levels of gender nonconformity were associated with higher symptom counts at moderate and high levels of parenting stress (but not at low levels of parenting stress). Conclusions: Clinical interventions aimed at reducing parenting stress among caregivers of gender-expansive children may have a positive effect on children’s psychological functioning. Implications for Impact Statement Higher levels of gender nonconformity were associated with more attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) hyperactive–impulsive type and conduct disorder symptoms but only at moderate or high (not low) levels of parenting stress. Thus, interventions aimed at reducing parenting stress in caregivers of gender-expansive children may improve children’s psychological functioning.
Childhood Social Gender Transition and Psychosocial Well-Being: A Comparison to Cisgender Gender-Variant Children
Authors: Wong Wang Ivy , van der Miesen Anna I. R. , Li Tjonnie G. F. , MacMullin Laura N. , VanderLaan Doug P. 
Published: September 2019

Objective: There is increasing interest regarding best practice for promoting well-being among gender-variant children. Social gender transition (e.g., name, pronoun, clothing changes) may benefit gender-variant children who desire to be of a gender that does not align with their birth-assigned sex. This study examined psychosocial challenges experienced by socially transitioned children and cisgender (i.e., birth-assigned sex and gender identity align) gender-variant children. Method: We used data from published samples of gender-variant children ( N = 266) reporting psychosocial well-being using the Child Behavior Checklist or similar measures. A statistical bootstrapping approach was used to control for birth-assigned sex, age, and degree of gender variance when comparing cisgender gender-variant (CGV) and socially transitioned children described as being supported in their gender identities. Within the CGV sample, we examined parental attitudes toward childhood gender variance, as well as correlations between these parental attitudes and peer relations with children’s psychological well-being. Results: There was little evidence that psychosocial well-being varied in relation to gender transition status. Parents of CGV children were generally accepting of childhood gender variance, but only poor peer relations predicted lower psychological well-being among these children. Conclusion: Socially transitioned children appear to experience similar levels of psychosocial challenges as CGV children. While further research is needed to evaluate possible effects of childhood social gender transition on well-being, this study suggests experiences of psychosocial challenges among gender-variant children require monitoring irrespective of transition status, and relationships with peers may be especially important to consider. Implications for Impact Statement In general, gender-“atypical” children experience more risk of psychosocial challenges, and addressing poor peer relations may be key for ameliorating these risks.