bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Potassium deficiency impedes elevated carbon dioxide‐induced biomass enhancement in well watered or drought‐stressed bread wheat
Authors: Asif Muhammad , Yilmaz Ozlem , Ozturk Levent 
Published: July 2017

AbstractPotassium (K) deficiency reduces photosynthesis and biomass production of crop plants and also renders them vulnerable to drought stress, whereas elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) has a positive effect on photosynthesis and yield and ameliorates the adverse effects of drought stress. This study aimed to characterize the physiological responses of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) stressed with K deficiency under elevated CO2 and drought conditions. Increased biomass production caused by elevated CO2 as a consequence of increased photosynthesis and water use efficiency was absent in young K‐deficient wheat plants. Shoot K concentration was negatively affected by elevated CO2 particularly under K‐deficient conditions, whereas K content per plant was greatest in plants supplied with adequate K and adequate water. Specific leaf weight was increased as a consequence of carbohydrate accumulation in the source leaves of K‐deficient plants particularly under elevated CO2 and drought stress. Potassium deficiency clearly impeded the impact of elevated CO2 in both well watered as well as drought‐stressed plants. Adequate K fertilization is a prerequisite for efficient harvesting of atmospheric CO2 through increased photosynthesis, decreased transpiration, and increased biomass production under changing atmospheric CO2 and soil moisture conditions.
Food and nutrition security in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region
Authors: Rasul Golam , Hussain Abid , Mahapatra Bidhubhusan , Dangol Narendra 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThe status of food and nutrition security and its underlying factors in the Hindu‐Kush Himalayan (HKH) region is investigated. In this region, one third to a half of children (<5 years of age) suffer from stunting, with the incidence of wasting and under‐weight also being very high. The prevalence of stunting, wasting and under‐weight in children is particularly high in some mountain areas such as Meghalaya state in India, the western mountains and far‐western hills of Nepal, Balochistan province in Pakistan, eastern Afghanistan, and Chin state in Myanmar. Food habits in the HKH region are changing. This has led to a deterioration in traditional mountain food systems with a decline in agrobiodiversity. Factors such as high poverty and low dietary energy intakes, a lack of hygienic environments, inadequate nutritional knowledge, and climate change and environmental degradation are also influencing food and nutrition security in the HKH region. To achieve sustainable food and nutrition security in the mountains, this study suggests a multi‐sectoral integrated approach with consideration of nutritional aspects in all development processes dealing with economic, social, agricultural and public health issues. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Effects of correcting in situ ruminal microbial colonization of feed particles on the relationship between ruminally undegraded and intestinally digested crude protein in concentrate feeds
Authors: González Javier , Mouhbi Rabiaa , Guevara‐González Jesús Alberto , Arroyo José María 
Published: July 2017

AbstractBACKGROUNDIn situ estimates of ruminally undegraded protein (RUP) and intestinally digested protein (IDP) of ten concentrates, uncorrected or corrected for the ruminal microbial colonization, were used to examine the effects of this correction on the relationship between IDP and RUP values. Both variables were established for three rumen and duodenum cannulated wethers using 15N labeling‐techniques and considering measured rates of ruminal particle comminution (kc) and outflow (kp).RESULTSA covariance analysis showed that the close relationship found between both variables (IDP = –0.0132 ± 0.00679 + 0.776 ± 0.0002 RUP; n = 60; P < 0.001; r = 0.960) is not affected by correcting for microbial colonization (P = 0.682).CONCLUSIONThe IDP content in concentrates and industrial by‐products can be predicted from RUP values, thus avoiding the laborious and complex procedure of determining intestinal digestibility; however, a larger sample of feeds is necessary to achieve more accurate predictions. The lack of influence of the correction for microbial contamination on the prediction observed in the present study increases the data available for this prediction. However, only the use of corrected values may provide an accurate evaluation. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Microencapsulation of borage oil with blends of milk protein, β‐glucan and maltodextrin through spray drying: physicochemical characteristics and stability of the microcapsules
Authors: Li Ru‐yi , Shi Yan 
Published: July 2017

AbstractBACKGROUNDBorage oil is a rich commercial source of γ‐linolenic acid (18:3n‐6). However, borage oil is rich in omega‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vulnerable to oxidation. Thus, selecting appropriate wall materials is critical to the encapsulation of borage oil. The present study investigated the influence of wall materials on the physicochemical characteristics and stability of microencapsulated borage oil by spray drying. Blends of milk protein [sodium caseinate (CAS) or whey protein concentrate], β‐glucan (GLU) and maltodextrin (MD) were used as the wall materials for encapsulating borage oil.RESULTSThe microencapsulation of borage oil with different wall materials attained high encapsulation efficiencies. The microencapsulated borage oil prepared with CAS–MD achieved the optimal encapsulation efficiency of 96.62%. The oxidative stabilities of borage oil and microencapsulated borage oil were measured by accelerated storage test at 45 °C and 33% relative humidity for 30 days. The microencapsulated borage oil presented lower peroxide values than those of borage oil, and the microcapsules prepared with CAS–10GLU–MD (consisting of CAS 50 g kg–1, GLU 100 g kg–1 and MD 475 g kg–1 of microencapsulation) conferred borage oil with high protection against lipid oxidation.CONCLUSIONThe results of the present study demonstrate that the CAS–GLU–MD blend is appropriate for microencapsulating borage oil. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Liquid crystal phantom for validation of microscopic diffusion anisotropy measurements on clinical MRI systems
Authors: Nilsson Markus , Larsson Johan , Lundberg Dan , Szczepankiewicz Filip , Witzel Thomas , Westin Carl‐Fredrik , Bryskhe Karin , Topgaard Daniel 
Published: July 2017

PurposeTo develop a phantom for validating MRI pulse sequences and data processing methods to quantify microscopic diffusion anisotropy in the human brain.MethodsUsing a liquid crystal consisting of water, detergent, and hydrocarbon, we designed a 0.5‐L spherical phantom showing the theoretically highest possible degree of microscopic anisotropy. Data were acquired on the Connectome scanner using echo‐planar imaging signal readout and diffusion encoding with axisymmetric b‐tensors of varying magnitude, anisotropy, and orientation. The mean diffusivity, fractional anisotropy (FA), and microscopic FA (µFA) parameters were estimated.ResultsThe phantom was observed to have values of mean diffusivity similar to brain tissue, and relaxation times compatible with echo‐planar imaging echo times on the order of 100 ms. The estimated values of µFA were at the theoretical maximum of 1.0, whereas the values of FA spanned the interval from 0.0 to 0.8 as a result of varying orientational order of the anisotropic domains within each voxel.ConclusionsThe proposed phantom can be manufactured by mixing three widely available chemicals in volumes comparable to a human head. The acquired data are in excellent agreement with theoretical predictions, showing that the phantom is ideal for validating methods for measuring microscopic diffusion anisotropy on clinical MRI systems. Magn Reson Med 79:1817–1828, 2018. © 2017 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution‐NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
Influence of physiological noise on accelerated 2D and 3D resting state functional MRI data at 7 T
Authors: Reynaud Olivier , Jorge João , Gruetter Rolf , Marques José P. , van der Zwaag Wietske 
Published: July 2017

PurposePhysiological noise often dominates the blood‐oxygen level–dependent (BOLD) signal fluctuations in high‐field functional MRI (fMRI) data. Therefore, to optimize fMRI protocols, it becomes crucial to investigate how physiological signal fluctuations impact various acquisition and reconstruction schemes at different acquisition speeds. In particular, further differences can arise between 2D and 3D fMRI acquisitions due to different encoding strategies, thereby impacting fMRI sensitivity in potentially significant ways.MethodsThe amount of physiological noise to be removed from the BOLD fMRI signal acquired at 7 T was quantified for different sampling rates (repetition time from 3300 to 350 ms, acceleration 1 to 8) and techniques dedicated to fast fMRI (simultaneous multislice echo planar imaging [EPI] and 3D EPI). Resting state fMRI (rsfMRI) performances were evaluated using temporal signal‐to‐noise ratio (tSNR) and network characterization based on seed correlation and independent component analysis.ResultsOverall, acceleration enhanced tSNR and rsfMRI metrics. 3D EPI benefited the most from physiological noise removal at long repetition times. Differences between 2D and 3D encoding strategies disappeared at high acceleration factors (6‐ to 8‐fold).ConclusionAfter physiological noise correction, 2D‐ and 3D‐accelerated sequences provide similar performances at high fields, both in terms of tSNR and resting state network identification and characterization. Magn Reson Med 78:888–896, 2017. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
Partially observed time‐inconsistent stochastic linear‐quadratic control with random jumps
Authors: Wu Zhen , Zhuang Yi 
Published: July 2017

SummaryThis paper studies a partially observed time‐inconsistent stochastic linear‐quadratic control system, in which the state follows a stochastic differential equation driven by a Brownian motion and an independent Poisson random measure. The cost functional contains a state‐dependent term and a quadratic term of the conditional expected state process, which will cause the time inconsistency in dynamic systems. By virtue of a classical spike variation approach, we define an equilibrium and derive a sufficient condition for the equilibrium in the fully observed system with stochastic coefficients. Then, we obtain the equilibrium with an explicit feedback form in deterministic coefficients case and discuss the existence and uniqueness of the solution of corresponding Riccati equations. Furthermore, we get filtering equations of the partially observed system and get the explicit equilibrium in some special case.
Systematic review and meta‐analysis of non‐invasive prenatal DNA testing for trisomy 21: implications for implementation in China
Authors: Jin Jiajie , Yang Junwen , Chen Yingyao , Huang Jiayan 
Published: July 2017

AbstractObjectivesTo systematically review clinical validation studies of massive parallel sequencing (MPS) technology in prenatal screening for trisomy 21 and to explore the potential implementation strategies in China compared with those in developing countries.MethodsSearches of the Cochrane Library, Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, Biosis Previews, and three major Chinese databases were performed to identify all the peer‐reviewed articles published between 1 January 2011 and 15 October 2016. We also reviewed and discussed the potential challenges and risks in the future promotion of MPS technology in China compared with those in developing countries.ResultsThe weighted pooled sensitivity and specificity of MPS technology for the prenatal detection of trisomy 21 were 99.7% (95% CI 98.3–99.9%) and 100.0% (95% CI 99.9–100.0%), respectively, based on a meta‐analysis of 44 included studies. An additional meta‐analysis was conducted based on the 25 included studies that were performed in medical/genetic sequencing institutions in mainland China, showing a weighted pooled sensitivity and specificity of MPS technology as 99.5% (95% CI 98.7–99.8%) and 100% (95% CI 99.9–100%), respectively.ConclusionMPS technology offers effective screening performance for trisomy 21 but should be cautiously promoted due to its clinical limitations and challenges that stem from the ethics and business aspects. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis of bio‐based poly(ethylene 2,5‐furandicarboxylate) copolyesters: Higher glass transition temperature, better transparency, and good barrier properties
Authors: Wang Jinggang , Liu Xiaoqing , Jia Zhen , Liu Yuan , Sun Liyuan , Zhu Jin 
Published: July 2017

ABSTRACTThe bio‐based polyester, poly(ethylene 2,5‐furandicarboxylate) (PEF), was modified by 2,2,4,4‐tetramethyl‐1,3‐cyclobutanediol (CBDO) via copolymerization and a series of copolyesters poly(ethylene‐co‐2,2,4,4‐tetramethyl‐1,3‐cyclobutanediol 2,5‐furandicarboxylate)s (PETFs) were prepared. After their chemical structures and sequence distribution were confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance (1H‐NMR and 13C‐NMR), their thermal, mechanical, and gas barrier properties were investigated in detail. Results showed that when the content of CBDO unit in the copolyesters was increased up to 10 mol%, the completely amorphous copolyesters with good transparency could be obtained. In addition, with the increasing content of CBDO units in the copolyesters, the glass transition temperature was increased from 88.9 °C for PET to 94.3 °C for PETF‐23 and the tensile modulus was increased from 3000 MPa for PEF to 3500 MPa for PETF‐23. The barrier properties study demonstrated that although the introduction of CBDO units would increase the O2 and CO2 permeability of PEF slightly, PECF‐10 still showed better or similar barrier properties compared with those of PEN and PEI. In one word, the modified PEF copolyesters exhibited better mechanical properties, higher glass transition temperature, good barrier properties, and better clarity. They have great potential to be the bio‐based alternative to the popular petroleum‐based poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) when used as the beverage packaging materials. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 3298–3307
Randomized controlled trial of a peer led multimodal intervention for men with prostate cancer to increase exercise participation
Authors: Galvão Daniel A. , Newton Robert U. , Girgis Afaf , Lepore Stephen J. , Stiller Anna , Mihalopoulos Cathrine , Gardiner Robert A. , Taaffe Dennis R. , Occhipinti Stefano , Chambers Suzanne K. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractObjectiveExercise may reduce morbidity, increase survival, and improve quality of life (QoL) in prostate cancer patients. However, effective ways to encourage exercise outside carefully controlled clinical trials remain uncertain. We evaluated the effectiveness of peer‐led self‐management for increasing exercise participation in men with localized prostate cancer.MethodsFour hundred and sixty‐three prostate cancer patients from Queensland, Australia were randomized to a monthly telephone‐based group peer support for 6 months supported by self‐management materials and exercise equipment (INT, n = 232) or usual care (UC, n = 231). Participants were assessed at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months. Primary outcomes were compliance with exercise guidelines; secondary outcomes were psychological distress and QoL.ResultsPatients in INT engaged in more resistance exercise than UC at 3 months (19.4 [95% CI 6.52 to 32.28] min/wk, P = .003) and 6 months (14.6 [95% CI 1.69 to 27.58] min/wk, P = .027); more men achieved sufficient physical activity levels at 3 months (χ2 = 8.89, P = 0.003). There was no difference between groups for aerobic‐based activity at any time point nor for resistance exercise time at 12‐month follow‐up. INT had higher QoL Relationships scores at 3 months (.03 [95% CI .00 to .06], P = .038) compared with UC. Limitation included self‐reported assessment of exercise.ConclusionsPeer‐led intervention was effective in increasing patients' resistance exercise participation in the short‐to‐medium term and in the number of men achieving sufficient activity levels in the short‐term; however, this was not accompanied by overall improvements in QoL or psychological distress. Methods to increase effectiveness and maintain long‐term adherence require further investigation.
Structure of the WD40‐domain of human ATG16L1
Authors: Bajagic Milica , Archna Archna , Büsing Petra , Scrima Andrea 
Published: July 2017

AbstractAutophagy‐related protein ATG16L1 is a component of the mammalian ATG12∼ATG5/ATG16L1 complex, which acts as E3‐ligase to catalyze lipidation of LC3 during autophagosome biogenesis. The N‐terminal part of ATG16L1 comprises the ATG5‐binding site and coiled‐coil dimerization domain, both also present in yeast ATG16 and essential for bulk and starvation induced autophagy. While absent in yeast ATG16, mammalian ATG16L1 further contains a predicted C‐terminal WD40‐domain, which has been shown to be involved in mediating interaction with diverse factors in the context of alternative functions of autophagy, such as inflammatory control and xenophagy. In this work, we provide detailed information on the domain boundaries of the WD40‐domain of human ATG16L1 and present its crystal structure at a resolution of 1.55 Å.
Usage of a dataset of NMR resolved protein structures to test aggregation versus solubility prediction algorithms
Authors: Roche Daniel B. , Villain Etienne , Kajava Andrey V. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThere has been an increased interest in computational methods for amyloid and (or) aggregate prediction, due to the prevalence of these aggregates in numerous diseases and their recently discovered functional importance. To evaluate these methods, several datasets have been compiled. Typically, aggregation‐prone regions of proteins, which form aggregates or amyloids in vivo, are more than 15 residues long and intrinsically disordered. However, the number of such experimentally established amyloid forming and non‐forming sequences are limited, not exceeding one hundred entries in existing databases. In this work, we parsed all available NMR‐resolved protein structures from the PDB and assembled a new, sevenfold larger, dataset of unfolded sequences, soluble at high concentrations. We proposed to use these sequences as a negative set for evaluating methods for predicting aggregation in vivo. We also present the results of benchmarking cutting edge tools for the prediction of aggregation versus solubility propensity.
Combined Lifestyle and Herbal Medicine in Overweight Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Arentz Susan , Smith Caroline A. , Abbott Jason , Fahey Paul , Cheema Birinder S. , Bensoussan Alan 
Published: July 2017

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common, complex reproductive endocrinopathy characterized by menstrual irregularities, hyperandrogenism and polycystic ovaries. Lifestyle modification is a first‐line intervention; however, there are barriers to success for this form of self‐care, and women often seek adjunct therapies including herbal medicines. This pragmatic, randomized controlled trial, delivered in communities of Australia in overweight women with PCOS, compared the effectiveness and safety of a lifestyle intervention plus herbal medicine against lifestyle alone. All participants were helped to construct a personalized lifestyle plan. The herbal intervention consisted of two tablets. Tablet 1 contained Cinnamomum verum, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Hypericum perforatum and Paeonia lactiflora. Tablet 2 contained Tribulus terrestris. The primary outcome was oligomenorrhoea/amenorrhoea. Secondary outcomes were hormones; anthropometry; quality of life; depression, anxiety and stress; pregnancy; birth outcomes; and safety. One hundred and twenty‐two women gave their consent. At 3 months, women in the combination group recorded a reduction in oligomenorrhoea of 32.9% (95% confidence interval 23.3–42.6, p < 0.01) compared with controls, estimated as a large effect (ηp2 = 0.11). Other significant improvements were found for body mass index (p < 0.01); insulin (p = 0.02) and luteinizing hormone (p = 0.04); blood pressure (p = 0.01); quality of life (p < 0.01); depression, anxiety and stress (p < 0.01); and pregnancy rates (p = 0.01). This trial provides evidence of improved effectiveness and safety for lifestyle intervention when combined with herbal medicines in women with PCOS. © 2017 The Authors. Phytotherapy Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Simultaneous quantitation of meperidine, normeperidine, tramadol, propoxyphene and norpropoxyphene in human plasma using solid‐phase extraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry: Method validation and application to cardiovascular safety of therapeutic doses
Authors: Fernández Nicolás , Olivera Nancy Mónica , Keller Guillermo Alberto , Diez Roberto Alberto , Di Girolamo Guillermo , Quiroga Patricia Noemí 
Published: July 2017

RationaleSeveral opioid analgesics have been related to the prolongation of cardiac repolarization, a condition which can be fatal. In order to establish a correct estimation of the risk/benefit balance of therapeutic doses of meperidine, normeperidine, tramadol, propoxyphene and norpropoxyphene, it was necessary to develop an analytical method to determinate plasma concentrations of these opioids.MethodsHere we describe a method which incorporates strong alkaline treatment to obtain norpropoxyphene amide followed by a one‐elution step solid‐phase extraction, and without further derivatization. Separation and quantification were achieved by gas chromatography/electron ionization mass spectrometry (GC/EI‐MS) in selected‐ion monitoring mode. Quantification was performed with 500 μL of plasma by the addition of deuterated analogues as internal standards.ResultsThe proposed method has been validated in the linearity range of 25–1000 ng/mL for all the analytes, with correlation coefficients higher than 0.990. The lower limit of quantification was 25 ng/mL. The intra‐ and inter‐day precision, calculated in terms of relative standard deviation, were 2.0–12.0% and 6.0–15.0%, respectively. The accuracy, in terms of relative error, was within a ± 10% interval. The absolute recovery and extraction efficiency ranged from 81.0 to 111.0% and 81.0 to 105.0%, respectively.ConclusionsA GC/MS method for the rapid and simultaneous determination of meperidine, normeperidine, tramadol, propoxyphene and norpropoxyphene in human plasma was developed, optimized and validated. This procedure was shown to be sensitive and specific using small specimen amounts, suitable for application in routine analysis for forensic purposes and therapeutic monitoring. To our knowledge, this is the first full validation of the simultaneous determination of these opioids and their metabolites in plasma samples.