bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Production of proteinaceous antifungal substances from Lactobacillus plantarum ALAC‐4 isolated from Inner Mongolian traditional fermented dairy food
Authors: Chen Zhongjun , Li Xiaoting , Gao Hechen 
Published: June 2017

Lactic acid bacteria are of interest to the food industry due to their antimicrobial properties. In this study, five strains of Lactobacillus plantarum were isolated from traditional fermented dairy food in Inner Mongolia; the strains displayed antifungal characteristics. Lactobacillus plantarum ALAC‐4 was selected for further study due to its strong inhibitory effect on fungal development. The antifungal substances produced by L. plantarum ALAC‐4 were characterised based on treatments with heat, pH and enzymes. The antifungal metabolites were analysed using gel‐filtration chromatography and SDS‐PAGE. The results showed that the antifungal substances were heat stable and active against most of the tested fungi, and maximal activity was observed at pH values from 4.0 to 4.5. The antifungal activity was decreased by protease treatments, which indicated the proteinaceous nature of the antifungal substances. Enhanced antifungal activity occurred after 28 h of incubation in de Man, Rogosa, Sharpe (MRS) broth with a 4% inoculum level at 34 °C and initial pH of 7.0, which resulted in an increase from baseline data. The molecular mass of the antifungal substance determined by SDS‐PAGE was approximately 40.32 kDa. This study demonstrated that L. plantarum ALAC‐4 produces a peptide with a remarkable antifungal activity, which can be potentially used as a biopreservative in dairy products.
Association between inadequate antenatal care utilisation and severe perinatal and maternal morbidity: an analysis in the PreCARE cohort
Authors: Linard M , Blondel B , Estellat C , Deneux‐Tharaux C , Luton D , Oury JF , Schmitz T , Mandelbrot L , Azria E ,   the PreCARE study group
Published: June 2017

ObjectiveBecause the effectiveness of antenatal care in reducing pregnancy complications is still discussed despite widespread recommendations of its use, we sought to assess the association between utilisation of recommended antenatal care and severe maternal (SMM) and perinatal morbidity (SPM).DesignProspective cohort study.SettingFour maternity units around Paris in 2010–2012.Sample9117 women with singleton pregnancies.MethodsLogistic regression models adjusted for maternal social, demographic and medical characteristics.Main outcome measuresAntenatal care utilisation was assessed by: (1) initiation of care after 14 weeks, (2) < 50% of recommended visits made, according to gestational age, (3) absence of the first, second or third trimester ultrasounds, (4) two modified Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilisation indexes, combining these components. The two main outcomes were composite variables of SMM and SPM.ResultsAccording to the modified Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilisation index, 34.6% of women had inadequate antenatal care utilisation; the incidence of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) was 2.9% and severe perinatal morbidity (SPM) 5.5%. A percentage of recommended visits below 50% (2.6% of women) was associated with SMM [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.40 (1.38–4.17)] and SPM [aOR 2.27 (1.43–3.59)]. Late initiation of care (17.0% of women) was not associated with SMM or SPM. Failure to undergo the recommended ultrasounds (16, 17 and 22% of women) was associated with SPM. Inadequate antenatal care utilisation according to the index was associated with SPM [aOR 1.37 (1.05–1.80)].ConclusionInadequate antenatal care utilisation is associated with SMM and SPM, to degrees that vary with the component of care and the outcome considered.Tweetable abstractInadequate antenatal care utilisation is associated with severe maternal and perinatal morbidity.
Uptake in sympathetic ganglia on 68Ga‐PSMA‐HBED PET/CT: A potential pitfall in scan interpretation
Authors: Kanthan Gowri L , Hsiao Edward , Vu Dzung , Schembri Geoffrey Paul 
Published: June 2017

AbstractIntroductionThe aim of this study was to assess the frequency of PSMA‐HBED uptake in coeliac and stellate ganglia in patients presenting for PSMA‐HBED PET/CT scan.MethodsProstate‐specific membrane antigen‐HBED PET/CT scans of 100 consecutive patients were analysed. Coeliac and stellate ganglia were identified by their anatomical location. PSMA‐HBED uptake in these ganglia was recorded as either present or absent. If present, the SUVmax value for each ganglion was measured and compared to SUVmax of mediastinal blood pool.ResultsOf the 100 patients, 45 had PSMA‐HBED uptake in the right coeliac ganglion and 81 had PSMA‐HBED uptake in the left coeliac ganglion. The mean SUVmax for the right coeliac ganglion was 2.6 (range 1.2–4.0) and for the left, 2.7 (range 1.2–6.5). An SUVmax 1.5 times greater than that of mediastinal blood pool activity was found in 25 of right and 47 of left coeliac ganglia. Stellate ganglion uptake of PSMA‐HBED was identified in 54 of right and 74 of left stellate ganglia. The mean SUVmax for the right and left stellate ganglia were 2.2 (range 1.6–3.6) and 2.4 (range 1.4–4.2) respectively. An SUVmax 1.5 times greater than that of mediastinal blood pool activity was found in 12 of right and 32 of left coeliac ganglia.ConclusionUptake in coeliac and stellate ganglia is a frequent finding on PSMA‐HBED PET/CT imaging. Often this uptake can be sufficiently high to cause potential diagnostic confusion. It is important to be aware of this physiologic uptake to avoid incorrect diagnosis of metastatic prostate carcinoma.
Very brief physician advice and supplemental proactive telephone calls to promote smoking reduction and cessation in Chinese male smokers with no intention to quit: a randomized trial
Authors: Wu Lei , He Yao , Jiang Bin , Zhang Di , Tian Hui , Zuo Fang , Lam Tai Hing 
Published: June 2017

AbstractBackground and aimsThere is inconsistent evidence that behavioural support to promote smoking reduction is effective at increasing smoking cessation. We examined the effectiveness of brief physician advice together with four very brief telephone calls in promoting smoking cessation among Chinese men via reduction compared with equivalent advice on diet and exercise.DesignA two‐group pragmatic randomized controlled trial.Participants and SettingMale patients attending the Endocrinology and Acupuncture out‐patient clinics of a general hospital in Beijing, China.Intervention and comparatorsPhysicians advised participants allocated to the smoking‐reduction intervention (SRI, n = 181) group to reduce smoking to at least half of their current consumption within 1 month at baseline. At follow‐up, a telephone counsellor repeated this advice if the participant had not reduced their cigarette consumption. Participants who had reduced consumption were encouraged to quit smoking. Physicians gave participants in the exercise and diet advice (EDA, n = 188) control group brief advice about physical activity and healthy diet at baseline, and a telephone counsellor reinforced this at each follow‐up interview. Both groups had one face‐to‐face interview at baseline plus five telephone interviews and interventions (approximately 1 minute each) at 1 week and 1‐, 3‐, 6‐ and 12‐month follow‐up.MeasurementsThe primary outcome was self‐reported 6‐month prolonged abstinence rate at 12‐month follow‐up interview.FindingsBy intention‐to‐treat, the self‐reported 6‐month prolonged abstinence rate at 12‐month follow‐up in the SRI groups (19 quitters, 15.7%) was higher, but not significantly, than the EDA control group (10 quitters, 7.8%), and the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) was 2.26 (0.97–5.26), P = 0.062. The self‐reported 7‐day point prevalence quit rate (secondary outcome) in the SRI group was significantly higher than the control group at each follow‐up interview (at 12‐month follow‐up: 13.3 versus 6.9%, OR (95% CI) = 2.09 (1.01, 4.34), P = 0.049).ConclusionsA very brief, proactive and low‐cost smoking‐reduction intervention without medications for Chinese male smokers with no intention to quit appears to increase smoking abstinence.
Self‐reported cognitive scales in a US National Survey: reliability, validity, and preliminary evidence for associations with alcohol and drug use
Authors: Aharonovich Efrat , Shmulewitz Dvora , Wall Melanie M. , Grant Bridget F. , Hasin Deborah S. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractAimsTo evaluate relationships between measures of cognitive functioning and alcohol or drug use among adults (≥ 18 years) in the US general population.DesignTwo cognitive scales were created based on dimensionality and reliability of self‐reported Executive Function Index items. Relationships between the two scales and validators were evaluated. Associations between the cognitive scales and past‐year frequency of alcohol or drug use were estimated with adjusted odds ratios (aOR).SettingUnited States, using the 2012–13 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions–III, a nationally representative adult sample selected by multi‐stage probability sampling.Participants36 085 respondents.MeasurementsPast‐year substance use outcome variables categorized binge drinking, marijuana, cocaine, opioid, sedative/tranquilizer and stimulant use as frequent (at least weekly to daily), infrequent (any to two to three times/month) or no use, assessed by the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule–5. Key predictors were the two cognitive scales. Construct validators included education and functional impairment. Covariates included age, gender, income and race/ethnicity.FindingsNine cognitive items fitted a two‐factor model (comparative fit index = 0.973): attention (five items) and executive functioning (four items). Both scales were associated positively with higher education (Ps < 0.001) and negatively with functional impairment (Ps < 0.001), demonstrating construct validity. Poorer attention was associated with frequent and infrequent binge drinking and use of drugs [aOR range = 1.07 (binge drinking) to 1.72 (stimulants), Ps ≤ 0.01]. Poorer executive functioning was associated with frequent binge drinking and use of drugs [aOR range = 1.22 (binge drinking) to 2.03 (cocaine), Ps < 0.001] and infrequent use of all drugs [aOR range = 1.19 (marijuana) to 1.63 (cocaine), Ps < 0.001].ConclusionsImpairments in attention and executive functioning are positively associated with substance use in the US general population.
Child shyness and peer likeability: The moderating role of pragmatics and vocabulary
Authors: Cheung Hoi Shan , Elliott John M. 
Published: June 2017

The association between shyness and children's likeability by peers was examined, with pragmatic difficulty and receptive and expressive vocabularies as moderators. Participants were 164 preschoolers (72 boys, 92 girls) between 52 and 79 months old in Singapore. A cross‐informant methodology was used, with peers and teachers contributing to separate peer likeability ratings. The findings highlighted a conceptual distinction between peer‐ and teacher‐rated likeability by peers. For the latter only, a 3‐way interaction involving shyness, vocabulary, and pragmatic difficulty was found, indicating that for shy children with low vocabulary scores, those who experienced less pragmatic difficulty tended to be seen by teachers as more well‐liked by peers than those with more pragmatic difficulty. This suggests that pragmatic skills may serve a protective function especially for shy children with poor vocabulary skills.
Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject?

Child shyness is related to poorer peer acceptance and social competence

Expressive vocabulary and pragmatic competence each has a buffering effect for shy children

What the present study adds?

Shyness is related to poorer peer likeability as assessed by teachers

Shyness is unrelated to peer likeability as assessed by same‐ or different‐sex peers

Pragmatic skills buffer the effects of teacher‐rated shyness only for children with poor receptive and expressive vocabularies

The buffering effect of language ability is shown in a multilingual educational context
Global sourcing and credit constraints
Authors: Shen Leilei 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThis paper incorporates credit constraints into a model of global sourcing and heterogeneous firms. Following Antràs and Helpman, heterogeneous firms decide whether to outsource or integrate input suppliers. Financing of fixed organizational costs requires borrowing with credit constraints and collateral based on tangible assets. The party that controls intermediate inputs is responsible for these financing costs. Sectors differ in their reliance on external finance and countries vary in their financial development. The model predicts that increased financial development decreases the share of integration relative to outsourcing in a country. The effect is more pronounced in sectors with a high reliance on external finance. However, this effect is mitigated by higher productivity (TFP) and headquarter intensity. Empirical examination confirms the predictions of the model. An improvement in financial development from the 25th to the 75th percentile in industries at the 75th percentile in finance dependence relative to those at the 25th percentile is associated with a 16.8% decrease in the median share of US intra‐firm imports. An increase in TFP from the 25th to the 75th percentile in the TFP triple interactions increase the share of US intra‐firm imports at the median by 3.2%. An increase in headquarter intensity from the 25th to the 75th percentile in the headquarter intensity triple interactions increase the share of US intra‐firm imports at the median by 21%.
Improving the histologic characterization of burn depth
Authors: Gibson Angela L. F. , Bennett Daniel D. , Taylor Lauren J. 
Published: June 2017

BackgroundVisual assessment of burn wound appearance is the standard of care to determine the depth of thermal injury but often incorrectly predicts wound healing potential. Histologic evaluation of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained burn tissue is prone to subjectivity and is challenging for the novice. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) staining may offer a simplified and consistent technique to identify burn tissue viability.MethodsThirty tissue samples were obtained from 6 patients undergoing surgical excision for clinically determined deep partial thickness or full thickness burns. Tissues were stained with H&E or LDH. Each specimen was scored by 3 individuals with varying levels of skill in histologic interpretation using a standardized checklist at 2 distinct time points.ResultsAgreement within raters was highest for the expert rater and lowest for the novice; however, the LDH stained tissue method had improved agreement for an experienced burn surgeon and novice. Agreement between raters was greater for the LDH stained samples which were determined to have greater viability than the corresponding H&E section in 100% of samples scored by the expert and in 80% for the novice clinician.ConclusionLDH staining offers a more consistent measure of tissue viability that can be used by experienced and novice clinicians.
Reduced‐intensity conditioning allogeneic transplantation after salvage treatment with DT‐PACE in myeloma patients relapsing early after autologous transplant
Authors: Randall Kate , Kaparou Maria , Xenou Evgenia , Paneesha Shankara , Kishore Bhuvan , Kanellopoulos Alexandros , Lovell Richard , Holder Kathy , Suhr Julie , Baker Lynda , Ryan Lynn , Nikolousis Emmanouil 
Published: June 2017

AbstractObjectiveIn this retrospective single‐centre study, we have looked into the transplant outcomes(overall survival OS, progression‐free survival PFS, GvHD) and the role of chimerism, DLI and pretransplant characteristics in patients who had a suboptimal response (<12 months) to an autologous stem cell transplant for myeloma and underwent an alemtuzumab T‐cell depleted reduced‐intensity allograft(RIC).MethodsTwenty‐four patients were salvaged with two cycles of DT‐PACE and received a RIC transplant with fludarabine, melphalan and alemtuzumab. All the patients received PBSC grafts, eight patients had a sibling donor, and 16 had a graft from a fully matched unrelated donor. The median follow‐up was 65.3 months (6‐132 months).ResultsThe median overall survival was 55.4 months. DLI administration was associated with a trend towards better overall survival (P=.05). Disease status at allo‐HCT, PR or VGPR, ISS score and CMV serostatus was not significant predictors of OS and PFS. Full donor whole blood chimerism (≥98%) at 3 months post‐transplant was associated with PFS (P=.04) but did not have a significant impact on OS(P=.45).ConclusionReduced‐intensity alemtuzumab‐conditioned allograft for myeloma after DT‐PACE salvage chemotherapy is an efficient and low toxicity treatment for those who had a suboptimal response postautologous stem cell transplant for myeloma.
Estimation of cumulative fluxes of nitrous oxide: uncertainty in temporal upscaling and emission factors
Authors: Levy P. E. , Cowan N. , van Oijen M. , Famulari D. , Drewer J. , Skiba U. 
Published: June 2017

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a greenhouse gas produced mainly by the microbial breakdown of agricultural fertilizer. ‘Emission factors’ (EFs, the fraction of nitrogen added that is released as N2O) are based on flux chamber measurements following the application of fertilizer. These measurements are very variable in space and time so that EFs are often uncertain, but this is rarely quantified. We developed a method that simplifies the calculation of EFs, incorporates prior knowledge and quantifies the uncertainty with a Bayesian approach to fit the parameters of a lognormal model. We compared this with the standard method for interpolating, extrapolating and integrating fluxes of N2O (trapezoidal integration). We verified both methods against process‐based model output where the true integral was known and against eddy covariance data where the integral was estimated more accurately because of the greater spatial and temporal coverage. We used the process‐based model to simulate flux chamber data and added a lognormal spatial distribution to the model output. The lognormal model performed better than the standard method, in terms of estimating the true underlying cumulative flux more accurately. Estimates based on chamber and eddy covariance data were sometimes substantially different, but with no clear systematic bias. The Bayesian approach with the lognormal model enabled us to combine both chamber and eddy covariance data to constrain cumulative fluxes. The standard trapezoidal method typically underestimates emission factors to some extent if fluxes are lognormally distributed in space. The Bayesian approach with the lognormal model is a robust method for quantifying the uncertainty in cumulative fluxes of N2O.HighlightsEmission factors for N2O are based on sparse and variable measurements, and so are uncertain.
We use a Bayesian approach to simplify the calculation and quantify the uncertainty.
No observed systematic difference between eddy covariance and chamber measurement methods.
The standard trapezoidal method will typically underestimate emission factors.
Moving forward in circles: challenges and opportunities in modelling population cycles
Authors: Barraquand Frédéric , Louca Stilianos , Abbott Karen C. , Cobbold Christina A. , Cordoleani Flora , DeAngelis Donald L. , Elderd Bret D. , Fox Jeremy W. , Greenwood Priscilla , Hilker Frank M. , Murray Dennis L. , Stieha Christopher R. , Taylor Rachel A. , Vitense Kelsey , Wolkowicz Gail S.K. , Tyson Rebecca C. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractPopulation cycling is a widespread phenomenon, observed across a multitude of taxa in both laboratory and natural conditions. Historically, the theory associated with population cycles was tightly linked to pairwise consumer–resource interactions and studied via deterministic models, but current empirical and theoretical research reveals a much richer basis for ecological cycles. Stochasticity and seasonality can modulate or create cyclic behaviour in non‐intuitive ways, the high‐dimensionality in ecological systems can profoundly influence cycling, and so can demographic structure and eco‐evolutionary dynamics. An inclusive theory for population cycles, ranging from ecosystem‐level to demographic modelling, grounded in observational or experimental data, is therefore necessary to better understand observed cyclical patterns. In turn, by gaining better insight into the drivers of population cycles, we can begin to understand the causes of cycle gain and loss, how biodiversity interacts with population cycling, and how to effectively manage wildly fluctuating populations, all of which are growing domains of ecological research.
Learning and time‐dependent cue choice in the desert ant, Melophorus bagoti
Authors: Freas Cody A. , Cheng Ken 
Published: June 2017

AbstractForaging ants are known to use multiple sources of information to return to the nest. These cue sets are employed by independent navigational systems including path integration in the case of celestial cues and vision‐based learning in the case of terrestrial landmarks and the panorama. When cue sets are presented in conflict, the Australian desert ant species, Melophorus bagoti, will choose a compromise heading between the directions dictated by the cues or, when navigating on well‐known routes, foragers choose the direction indicated by the terrestrial cues of the panorama against the dictates of celestial cues. Here, we explore the roles of learning terrestrial cues and delays since cue exposure in these navigational decisions by testing restricted foragers with differing levels of terrestrial cue experience with the maximum (180°) cue conflict. Restricted foragers appear unable to extrapolate landmark information from the nest to a displacement site 8 m away. Given only one homeward experience, foragers can successfully orient using terrestrial cues, but this experience is not sufficient to override a conflicting vector. Terrestrial cue strength increases with multiple experiences and eventually overrides the celestial cues. This appears to be a dynamic choice as foragers discount the reliability of the terrestrial cues over time, reverting back to preferring the celestial vector when the forager has an immediate vector, but the forager's last exposure to the terrestrial cues was 24 hr in the past. Foragers may be employing navigational decision making that can be predicted by the temporal weighting rule.
What Are They Thinking? A National Study of Stability and Change in Divorce Ideation
Authors: Hawkins Alan J. , Galovan Adam M. , Harris Steven M. , Allen Sage E. , Allen Sarah M. , Roberts Kelly M. , Schramm David G. 
Published: June 2017

This study reports on a nationally representative sample of married individuals ages 25–50 (N = 3,000) surveyed twice (1 year apart) to investigate the phenomenon of divorce ideation, or what people are thinking when they are thinking about divorce. Twenty‐eight percent of respondents had thought their marriage was in serious trouble in the past but not recently. Another 25% had thoughts about divorce in the last 6 months. Latent Class Analysis revealed three distinct groups among those thinking about divorce at Time 1: soft thinkers (49%), long‐term‐serious thinkers (45%), and conflicted thinkers (6%). Yet, divorce ideation was not static; 31% of Time 1 thinkers were not thinking about it 1 year later (and 36% of nonthinkers at Time 1 were thinking about it 1 year later). Also, Latent Transition Analysis revealed 49% of Time 1 long‐term‐serious thinkers, 56% of soft thinkers, and 51% of conflicted thinkers had shifted groups at Time 2, mostly in the direction of less and softer thinking about divorce. Overall, divorce ideation is common but dynamic, and it is not necessarily an indication of imminent marital dissolution.