bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The basis of differences in thermodynamic efficiency among skeletal muscles
Authors: Barclay Christopher J. 
Published: September 2017

SummaryMuscles convert chemical free energy into mechanical work. The energy conversion occurs in 2 steps. First, free energy obtained from oxidation of metabolic substrates (ΔGS) is transferred to ATP and, second, free energy from ATP hydrolysis (ΔGATP) is converted into work by myosin cross‐bridges. The fraction of ΔGS transferred to ATP is called mitochondrial efficiency (ηM) and the fraction of ΔGATP converted into work is called cross‐bridge efficiency (ηCB). Overall cross‐bridge efficiency varies among muscles from ~20% and 35% and the analysis presented in the current studies shows that this variation is largely due to differences in ηCB whereas ηM is similar (~80%) in all the muscles assessed. There is an inverse, linear relationship between maximum normalised power output and ηCB; that is, more efficient muscles tend to be less powerful than less efficient muscles. It is proposed that differences in cross‐bridge efficiency reflect the extent to which cross‐bridges traverse the force‐length relationship for attached cross‐bridges. In this framework, cross‐bridges from tortoise muscle (ηCB = 45%) produce close to the maximum possible work a cross‐bridge can perform in a single attachment cycle.
Deep nirS amplicon sequencing of San Francisco Bay sediments enables prediction of geography and environmental conditions from denitrifying community composition
Authors: Lee Jessica A. , Francis Christopher A. 
Published: September 2017

SummaryDenitrification is a dominant nitrogen loss process in the sediments of San Francisco Bay. In this study, we sought to understand the ecology of denitrifying bacteria by using next‐generation sequencing (NGS) to survey the diversity of a denitrification functional gene, nirS (encoding cytchrome‐cd1 nitrite reductase), along the salinity gradient of San Francisco Bay over the course of a year. We compared our dataset to a library of nirS sequences obtained previously from the same samples by standard PCR cloning and Sanger sequencing, and showed that both methods similarly demonstrated geography, salinity and, to a lesser extent, nitrogen, to be strong determinants of community composition. Furthermore, the depth afforded by NGS enabled novel techniques for measuring the association between environment and community composition. We used Random Forests modelling to demonstrate that the site and salinity of a sample could be predicted from its nirS sequences, and to identify indicator taxa associated with those environmental characteristics. This work contributes significantly to our understanding of the distribution and dynamics of denitrifying communities in San Francisco Bay, and provides valuable tools for the further study of this key N‐cycling guild in all estuarine systems.
Busting Some of the Public Private Partnership Myths from a Government Perspective
Authors: Curtain Kim , Betts Jim 
Published: September 2017

AbstractSince the 1980s, state governments across Australia have procured critical and complex infrastructure projects via a Public Private Partnership (“PPP”). Despite the long history and widespread use of PPPs in many sectors, there are still many misconceptions and myths regarding PPPs. This article attempts to demystify, from a government's perspective, some of those common misconceptions and myths. We noted that there are multiple ways of structuring a PPP arrangement, that the purpose is not to maximise risk transfer to the private sector but to allocate risks to the party best able to manage them and that a PPP structure does not circumvent funding constraints.
Cervical dilatation patterns of ‘low‐risk’ women with spontaneous labour and normal perinatal outcomes: a systematic review
Authors: Oladapo OT , Diaz V , Bonet M , Abalos E , Thwin SS , Souza H , Perdoná G , Souza JP , Gülmezoglu AM 
Published: September 2017

BackgroundThe call for women‐centred approaches to reduce labour interventions, particularly primary caesarean section, has renewed an interest in gaining a better understanding of natural labour progression.ObjectiveTo synthesise available data on the cervical dilatation patterns during spontaneous labour of ‘low‐risk’ women with normal perinatal outcomes.Search strategyPubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, POPLINE, Global Health Library, and reference lists of eligible studies.Selection criteriaObservational studies and other study designs.Data collection and analysisTwo authors extracted data on: maternal characteristics; labour interventions; the duration of labour centimetre by centimetre; and the duration of labour from dilatation at admission through to 10 cm. We pooled data across studies using weighted medians and employed the Bootstrap‐t method to generate the corresponding confidence bounds.Main resultsSeven observational studies describing labour patterns for 99 971 women met our inclusion criteria. The median time to advance by 1 cm in nulliparous women was longer than 1 hour until a dilatation of 5 cm was reached, with markedly rapid progress after 6 cm. Similar labour progression patterns were observed in parous women. The 95th percentiles for both parity groups suggest that it was not uncommon for some women to reach 10 cm, despite dilatation rates that were much slower than the 1‐cm/hour threshold for most part of their first stage of labours.ConclusionAn expectation of a minimum cervical dilatation threshold of 1 cm/hour throughout the first stage of labour is unrealistic for most healthy nulliparous and parous women. Our findings call into question the universal application of clinical standards that are conceptually based on an expectation of linear labour progress in all women.FundingUNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).Tweetable abstractCervical dilatation threshold of 1 cm/hour throughout labour is unrealistic for most women, regardless of parity.
Raisins and Currants as Conventional Nutraceuticals in Italian Market: Natural Occurrence of Ochratoxin A
Authors: Fanelli Francesca , Cozzi Giuseppe , Raiola Assunta , Dini Irene , Mulè Giuseppina , Logrieco Antonio F. , Ritieni Alberto 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThe healthy consumers make a strong pressure to natural products that can prevent the chronic diseases and improve the general health status, and therefore an important aspect that have to be considered is the safe level of the nutraceuticals. This study reports the occurrence of Ochratoxin A (OTA) and associated fungal contamination in 35 samples of dried vine fruits imported in the European community potentially used for the development of new nutraceutical supplements. High pressure liquid chromatography analysis identified 18 samples as contaminated by OTA with an average level of 2.6 μg/kg. OTA was measured in 4 samples of currants (mean value of 6.6 μg/kg) and 13 samples of raisins (mean value of 1.4 μg/kg). In one sample of currants and one of raisins from Turkey OTA exceeded the limits set by European Commission of 10 μg/kg, being contaminated with 12.61 and 15.99 μg/kg, respectively. All the positive samples were confirmed by Orbitrap Q Exactive through their molecular weight and the corresponding fragmentation. The worldwide consumption of dried vine fruits contributed to OTA exposure in several group of consumers. In particular, considering the potential nutraceutical approach, this consumption may be represent a severe risk for healthy consumers that consider these products like healthy and salutistic for their contents in antioxidants, flavonoids, and polyphenols. Data reported in this study confirmed the need to regularly monitor mycotoxin levels in these food products and optimize the process of fruits drying in order to reduce the development of toxigenic molds.
Effects of Ultra‐High Pressure Homogenization and Hydrocolloids on Physicochemical and Storage Properties of Soymilk
Authors: Mukherjee Dipaloke , Chang Sam K. C. , Zhang Yin , Mukherjee Soma 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThis study investigated the efficacy of ultra‐high pressure homogenization (UHPH) in the presence or absence of added hydrocolloids for enhancing a range of physic‐chemical properties of soymilk—which are important for extending shelf‐life. Soymilk preparations containing different concentrations (0.01%, 0.02%, and 0.05%, w/v) of 2 different hydrocolloids (κ‐carrageenan, κ‐C, and gum Arabic, GA) were subjected to 3 different levels of UHPH (70, 140, and 210 MPa) and stored in sterilized containers at 4 °C. Emulsion properties of the soymilk preparations were analyzed over a period of 5 weeks. The results showed that soymilk with 0.05% κ‐C had markedly improved storage properties, evident by significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced surface energy and absolute ζ potential values compared to the unhomogenized soymilk with no hydrocolloid (16% and 39% augmentations, respectively) at the 1st week of storage. This trend continued throughout the entire period of study. The soymilk containing 0.05% κ‐C also exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) lower (60%) mean globular particle size at the initial week compared to the latter ones and maintained the trend throughout the 3rd week of storage. The study can potentially lead to a considerable economic benefit to the soymilk industry by providing valuable information to extend shelf‐life of soymilk.Practical ApplicationSoymilk is one of the most important soy products, and as a beverage, it is rapidly gaining popularity in the Western markets. However, it tends to form precipitates during storage to affect quality of the product. This study used a 2‐prong approach of ultra‐high pressure homogenization and addition of hydrocolloids to prevent aggregation of soymilk particles and the retention of antioxidant capacity. The results showed enhancement of the quality of soymilk during storage. The techniques developed can be adopted by the food industry.
Mapping range dynamics from opportunistic data: spatiotemporal modelling of the lynx distribution in the Alps over 21 years
Authors: Molinari‐Jobin A. , Kéry M. , Marboutin E. , Marucco F. , Zimmermann F. , Molinari P. , Frick H. , Fuxjäger C. , Wölfl S. , Bled F. , Breitenmoser‐Würsten C. , Kos I. , Wölfl M. , Černe R. , Müller O. , Breitenmoser U. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThe Eurasian lynx is of special conservation concern based on the European Union's Habitat Directive and its populations need to be maintained or restored at favourable conservation status. To evaluate lynx population status, appropriate monitoring needs to be in place. We modelled the distribution dynamics of lynx in the Alps (200 000 km2) during 1994–2014 at a resolution of 100 km2. Lynx distribution and detection probability varied by year, country, forest cover, elevation and distance to the nearest release site. Occupancy of neighbouring quadrats had a strong positive effect on colonization and persistence rates. Our analyses demonstrate the importance of accounting for imperfect detection: the raw data underestimated the lynx range by 55% on average, depending on country and winter. Over the past 20 years the Alpine lynx range has expanded at an average rate of 4% per year, which was partly due to the lynx translocations to new areas. Our approach to large‐scale distribution modelling and analysing trends using site occupancy models can be applied retrospectively and is useful in many cases where a network of trained people is established to report the presence of target species, for example, in Europe where member states of the European Union have to report conservation status of species of community interest. Hence, dynamic occupancy models are an appealing framework for inference about the large‐scale range dynamics based on opportunistic data and a useful tool for large‐scale management and conservation programmes.
The association of postoperative pulmonary complications in 109,360 patients with pressure‐controlled or volume‐controlled ventilation
Authors: Bagchi A. , Rudolph M. I. , Ng P. Y. , Timm F. P. , Long D. R. , Shaefi S. , Ladha K. , Vidal Melo M. F. , Eikermann M. 
Published: September 2017

SummaryWe thought that the rate of postoperative pulmonary complications might be higher after pressure‐controlled ventilation than after volume‐controlled ventilation. We analysed peri‐operative data recorded for 109,360 adults, whose lungs were mechanically ventilated during surgery at three hospitals in Massachusetts, USA. We used multivariable regression and propensity score matching. Postoperative pulmonary complications were more common after pressure‐controlled ventilation, odds ratio (95%CI) 1.29 (1.21–1.37), p < 0.001. Tidal volumes and driving pressures were more varied with pressure‐controlled ventilation compared with volume‐controlled ventilation: mean (SD) variance from the median 1.61 (1.36) ml.kg−1 vs. 1.23 (1.11) ml.kg−1, p < 0.001; and 3.91 (3.47) cmH2O vs. 3.40 (2.69) cmH2O, p < 0.001. The odds ratio (95%CI) of pulmonary complications after pressure‐controlled ventilation compared with volume‐controlled ventilation at positive end‐expiratory pressures < 5 cmH2O was 1.40 (1.26–1.55) and 1.20 (1.11–1.31) when ≥ 5 cmH2O, both p < 0.001, a relative risk ratio of 1.17 (1.03–1.33), p = 0.023. The odds ratio (95%CI) of pulmonary complications after pressure‐controlled ventilation compared with volume‐controlled ventilation at driving pressures of < 19 cmH2O was 1.37 (1.27–1.48), p < 0.001, and 1.16 (1.04–1.30) when ≥ 19 cmH2O, p = 0.011, a relative risk ratio of 1.18 (1.07–1.30), p = 0.016. Our data support volume‐controlled ventilation during surgery, particularly for patients more likely to suffer postoperative pulmonary complications.
Prevalence of human papillomavirus in benign and malignant laryngeal lesions in Egyptian patients: Cross‐sectional study
Authors: Milad P. , Kassamy H. , Askoura A. , Abuelela S. , Salem R. , Ragab D. 
Published: September 2017

ObjectiveTo assess the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in benign and malignant laryngeal lesions among Egyptian patients.DesignObservational analytical cross‐sectional study.SettingAin Shams University hospital, Otorhinolaryngology departmentParticipantsFormalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded specimens of 126 patients (70 benign laryngeal lesions and 56 squamous cell carcinoma lesions) were assessed for the presence of HPV DNA using MY09/11 PCR‐based DNA detection.Main Outcome MeasuresPercentage of positive samples was calculated.ResultsAll 70 benign laryngeal lesion specimens were negative for the HPV DNA, while 2 of the 56 squamous cell carcinoma lesions (3.6%) were positive.ConclusionsThe presence of HPV DNA in only two specimens in our study suggests that the proportion of laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas attributable to infection by HPV seems to be very low in Egypt.
A non‐probabilistic reliability‐based design optimization method for structures based on interval models
Authors: Wang M.R. , Fan J.P. , Hu J. 
Published: September 2017

AbstractA non‐probabilistic reliability optimization method for structures with uncertain‐but‐bounded variables was presented. Based on the interval model description for the uncertain‐but‐bounded parameters, the non‐probabilistic reliability index was used to measure the structural reliability. The optimal design was formulated as a nested two‐loop optimization problem. For a nonlinear function, a number of constraints that satisfied the non‐probabilistic reliability index were treated as the serial system, and the feasible region of the uncertain parameters was determined by the target non‐probabilistic reliability index. The inner optimization method for solving a number of non‐probabilistic reliability indices was transformed into the problem of minimizing the functions within the feasible range. For a linear function, the non‐probabilistic reliability optimization problem can be transformed into a deterministic optimization problem. The high computational cost of determining the non‐probabilistic reliability was greatly reduced. Three numerical examples were presented to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed method.
Decrypting stable‐isotope (δ13C and δ15N) variability in aquatic plants
Authors: Chappuis Eglantine , Seriñá Vanesa , Martí Eugènia , Ballesteros Enric , Gacia Esperança 
Published: September 2017

Abstract

Variability in C and N stable isotopes has been acknowledged to hinder their use as tracers of food sources in the study of trophic interactions in ecosystems. This is particularly so whenever benthic primary production is substantial (variability in δ13C) and the ecosystem under study is affected by human impacts (variability in δ15N) in aquatic ecosystems.

In this study, we aim to better understand the large and often unexplained variability in the natural abundance of δ13C and δ15N signatures of aquatic plants by analyzing the isotopic composition of plants from 81 lentic systems from NE Spain in relation to extrinsic (alkalinity, pH, nutrient concentrations, water body typology and basin land use) and intrinsic (functional group, carbon assimilation metabolism, elemental composition) predictors.

We have encountered significant plasticity in isotopic signatures of aquatic plants associated with the variation in local conditions at the regional scale. The δ13C signature varied from −43.1‰ to −7.5‰ (35.7‰ range) and drivers were both intrinsic and extrinsic. The functional group was the most important factor as it is influenced by different carbon sources. Aquatic plants with leaves in contact with the atmosphere (helophytes, free floating and floating attached; −34.8‰ to −14.6‰) responded in a similar way as terrestrial plants. This contrasted with the enriched mean values of rooted submerged plants (−16.7‰ to −10.5‰) that were more enriched than the described terrestrial C3 range (−34‰ to −22‰) and completely overlapped the terrestrial C4 range (−20‰ to −8‰). Concentration of DIC and pH also emerged as important extrinsic factors driving δ13C variability.

The δ15N signature ranged from −5.2‰ to 20.1‰ (25.2‰ range) and the variability was mostly associated with extrinsic factors such as water body type and basin land use, as they influence both the δ15N signature and concentration of the dissolved inorganic nitrogen in the aquatic ecosystems.

Only one multifactorial model including the functional group (with the largest contribution), DIC and pH was selected as the best model explaining the variability in δ13C signatures of aquatic plants. The final model had a relatively large explained deviance and was consistent with the previous unifactorial results. Two different models were selected as the best models explaining variability in δ15N signatures of aquatic plants. The models included the geomorphological type of water body as the variable with the largest contribution, and the percentage of either natural or agricultural coverage in the basin. These results are summarized in a conceptual model showing the predictors and their range and direction of variation.

This study shows that extrinsic factors are of greater importance in influencing the stable‐isotope signatures of aquatic plants compared to terrestrial plants, because of varied sources and an often limited isotopic discrimination.
The effects of dispersal and river spatial structure on asynchrony in consumer–resource metacommunities
Authors: Anderson Kurt E. , Hayes Sean M. 
Published: September 2017

Abstract

River network structure influences many important population and community processes. Previous work examining ecological dynamics in river networks has focused on within‐trophic‐level dynamics, with less emphasis on food‐web interactions. Yet, trophic interactions in rivers are influenced by processes that may interact with network structure and position.

Using a spatially explicit consumer–resource model, we explore how trophic dynamics are influenced by the branching nature of river networks. We focus on cases where the consumer–resource interaction is prone to temporal oscillations and periodic low population sizes. In these cases, we find that the influence of network structure and dispersal can reduce temporal variability and increase persistence of consumers and resources at the metacommunity scale.

The effects of network structure and dispersal on our observed metacommunity dynamics result from asynchrony among dynamics of local communities: when asynchronous local fluctuations are averaged, consumer–resource dynamics become less variable and bounded higher above zero at regional spatial scales. Fluctuations synchronise across clusters of linked local communities.

Communities that connect to only one other downstream community typically vary independently of other patches and show high variability, while communities that are linked to multiple upstream and downstream habitats show greater clustering and less variability. These patterns suggest that headwater versus mainstem locations in river networks may show different levels of population variability and thus differential responses to management and restoration efforts.
Other Helicobacters, gastric and gut microbiota
Authors: Péré‐Védrenne Christelle , Flahou Bram , Loke Mun Fai , Ménard Armelle , Vadivelu Jamuna 
Published: September 2017

AbstractThe current article is a review of the most important and relevant literature published in 2016 and early 2017 on non‐Helicobacter pylori Helicobacter infections in humans and animals, as well as interactions between H. pylori and the microbiota of the stomach and other organs. Some putative new Helicobacter species were identified in sea otters, wild boars, dogs, and mice. Many cases of Helicobacter fennelliae and Helicobacter cinaedi infection have been reported in humans, mostly in immunocompromised patients. Mouse models have been used frequently as a model to investigate human Helicobacter infection, although some studies have investigated the pathogenesis of Helicobacters in their natural host, as was the case for Helicobacter suis infection in pigs. Our understanding of both the gastric and gut microbiome has made progress and, in addition, interactions between H. pylori and the microbiome were demonstrated to go beyond the stomach. Some new approaches of preventing Helicobacter infection or its related pathologies were investigated and, in this respect, the probiotic properties of Saccharomyces, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp. were confirmed.