bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Are invasive populations characterized by a broader diet than native populations?
Authors: Courant Julien , Vogt Solveig , Marques Raquel , Measey John , Secondi Jean , Rebelo Rui , De Villiers André , Ihlow Flora , De Busschere Charlotte , Backeljau Thierry , Rödder Dennis , Herrel Anthony 
Published: May 2017

Background
Invasive species are among the most significant threats to biodiversity. The diet of invasive animal populations is a crucial factor that must be considered in the context of biological invasions. A broad dietary spectrum is a frequently cited characteristic of invasive species, allowing them to thrive in a wide range of environments. Therefore, empirical studies comparing diet in invasive and native populations are necessary to understand dietary requirements, dietary flexibility, and the associated impacts of invasive species.

Methods
In this study, we compared the diet of populations of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis in its native range, with several areas where it has become invasive. Each prey category detected in stomach contents was assigned to an ecological category, allowing a comparison of the diversity of ecological traits among the prey items in the diet of native and introduced populations. The comparison of diets was also performed using evenness as a niche breadth index on all sampled populations, and electivity as a prey selection index for three out of the six sampled populations.

Results
Our results showed that diet breadth could be either narrow or broad in invasive populations. According to diet and prey availability, zooplankton was strongly preferred in most cases. In lotic environments, zooplankton was replaced by benthic preys, such as ephemeropteran larvae.

Discussion
The relative proportions of prey with different ecological traits, and dietary variability within and between areas of occurrence, suggest that X. laevis is a generalist predator in both native and invasive populations. Shifts in the realized trophic niche are observed, and appear related to resource availability. Xenopus laevis may strongly impact aquatic ecosystems because of its near complete aquatic lifestyle and its significant consumption of key taxa for the trophic relationships in ponds.
Conserved queen pheromones in bumblebees: a reply to Amsalem et al.
Authors: Holman Luke , van Zweden Jelle S. , Oliveira Ricardo C. , van Oystaeyen Annette , Wenseleers Tom 
Published: May 2017

In a recent study, Amsalem, Orlova & Grozinger (2015) performed experiments withBombus impatiensbumblebees to test the hypothesis that saturated cuticular hydrocarbons are evolutionarily conserved signals used to regulate reproductive division of labor in many Hymenopteran social insects. They concluded that the cuticular hydrocarbon pentacosane (C25), previously identified as a queen pheromone in a congeneric bumblebee, does not affect worker reproduction inB. impatiens. Here we discuss some shortcomings of Amsalem et al.’s study that make its conclusions unreliable. In particular, several confounding effects may have affected the results of both experimental manipulations in the study. Additionally, the study’s low sample sizes (mean n per treatment = 13.6, range: 4–23) give it low power, not 96–99% power as claimed, such that its conclusions may be false negatives. Inappropriate statistical tests were also used, and our reanalysis found that C25substantially reduced and delayed worker egg laying inB. impatiens. We review the evidence that cuticular hydrocarbons act as queen pheromones, and offer some recommendations for future queen pheromone experiments.
OS SISTEMAS RESPIRATÓRIO E CIRCULATÓRIO HUMANOS EM LIVROS DIDÁTICOS DO ENSINO FUNDAMENTAL
Authors: Dal-Farra Rossano André , Lopes Paulo Tadeu Campos , Farias Maria Eloisa , Oliveira Carlos Alberto Damasceno 
Published: May 2017

O presente estudo tem como objetivo abordar questões importantes de Educação em Saúde relacionadas aos sistemas respiratório e circulatório humanos buscando subsídios para a construção de estratégias pedagógicas para o Ensino Fundamental. Foram analisadas seis obras didáticas destinadas a alunos da sétima série em edições de 2005 a 2009, centrando as análises nas estratégias empregadas pelos autores no âmbito didático, assim como nas referências aos aspectos conceituais, atitudinais e procedimentais. Os textos foram estudados com base em abordagem qualitativa por meio da Análise de Conteúdo e inspirada na Teoria Fundamentada em Dados. Os resultados demonstraram que os livros realizam a transposição didática das temáticas com estratégias diversificadas. Entretanto, foi verificado que aspectos como: a simplificação excessiva, a indicação de fontes de pesquisa, as tecnologias de informação e a sugestão de experimentos práticos devem ser problematizadas com os professores, considerando as múltiplas condições encontradas nos processos educacionais brasileiros.
Functions of tryptophan residues in EWGWS insert of Plasmodium falciparum enolase
Authors: Dutta Sneha , Moitra Anasuya , Mukherjee Debanjan , Jarori Gotam K. 
Published: May 2017

Plasmodium falciparum enolase (Pfeno) is a dimeric enzyme with multiple moonlighting functions. This enzyme is thus a potential target for anti‐malarial treatments. A unique feature of Pfeno is the presence of a pentapeptide insert 104EWGWS108. The functional role of tryptophan residues in this insert was investigated using site‐directed mutagenesis. Replacement of these two Trp residues with alanines (or lysines) resulted in a near complete loss of enolase activity and dissociation of the normal dimeric form into monomers. Molecular modeling indicated that 340R forms π‐cation bonds with the aromatic rings of 105W and 46Y. Mutation induced changes in the interactions among these three residues were presumably relayed to the inter‐subunit interface via a coil formed by 46Y : 59Y, resulting in the disruption of a salt bridge between 11R : 425E and a π‐cation interaction between 11R : 59Y. This led to a drop of ~ 4 kcal·mole−1 in the inter‐subunit docking energy in the mutant, causing a ~ 103 fold decrease in affinity. Partial restoration of the inter‐subunit interactions led to reformation of dimers and also restored a significant fraction of the lost enzyme activity. These results suggested that the perturbations in the conformation of the surface loop containing the insert sequence were relayed to the interface region, causing dimer dissociation that, in turn, disrupted the enzyme's active site. Since Plasmodium enolase is a moonlighting protein with multiple parasite‐specific functions, it is likely that these functions may map on to the highly conserved unique insert region of this protein.EnzymesEnolase(EC4.2.1.11).
Season‐modulated responses of Neotropical bats to forest fragmentation
Authors: Ferreira Diogo F. , Rocha Ricardo , López‐Baucells Adrià , Farneda Fábio Z. , Carreiras João M. B. , Palmeirim Jorge M. , Meyer Christoph F. J. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractSeasonality causes fluctuations in resource availability, affecting the presence and abundance of animal species. The impacts of these oscillations on wildlife populations can be exacerbated by habitat fragmentation. We assessed differences in bat species abundance between the wet and dry season in a fragmented landscape in the Central Amazon characterized by primary forest fragments embedded in a secondary forest matrix. We also evaluated whether the relative importance of local vegetation structure versus landscape characteristics (composition and configuration) in shaping bat abundance patterns varied between seasons. Our working hypotheses were that abundance responses are species as well as season specific, and that in the wet season, local vegetation structure is a stronger determinant of bat abundance than landscape‐scale attributes. Generalized linear mixed‐effects models in combination with hierarchical partitioning revealed that relationships between species abundances and local vegetation structure and landscape characteristics were both season specific and scale dependent. Overall, landscape characteristics were more important than local vegetation characteristics, suggesting that landscape structure is likely to play an even more important role in landscapes with higher fragment‐matrix contrast. Responses varied between frugivores and animalivores. In the dry season, frugivores responded more to compositional metrics, whereas during the wet season, local and configurational metrics were more important. Animalivores showed similar patterns in both seasons, responding to the same group of metrics in both seasons. Differences in responses likely reflect seasonal differences in the phenology of flowering and fruiting between primary and secondary forests, which affected the foraging behavior and habitat use of bats. Management actions should encompass multiscale approaches to account for the idiosyncratic responses of species to seasonal variation in resource abundance and consequently to local and landscape scale attributes.
Use of the 10‐Group Classification System to analyze how the population control policy change in China has affected cesarean delivery
Authors: Zhang Yihui , Gu Ning , Wang Zhiqun , Zheng Mingming , Hu Yali , Dai Yimin 
Published: May 2017

AbstractObjectiveTo analyze the initial effect following the relaxation of China's population control policy on the cesarean delivery (CD) rate using the 10‐Group Classification System (TGCS).MethodsA retrospective study included all deliveries at a center in Nanjing, China, during 2014–2015. The deliveries were classified using the TGCS. The obstetric populations and the CD rates in each group were compared between 2014 and 2015.ResultsOverall, 11 006 deliveries were analyzed. The overall CD rate increased from 28.3% (1623/5737) in 2014 to 33.8% (1782/5269) in 2015 (P<0.001). The largest contributor to the overall CD rate—accounting for approximately one‐third of all CDs—were nulliparous women with a single cephalic term pregnancy and induced labor or prelabor CD (group 2); the CD rate in this group increased from 27.2% to 31.4%. Moreover, the proportion of women with a single cephalic term pregnancy with previous CD (group 5) steeply increased from 6.4% to 10.4% of all deliveries; the CD rate in this group during 2014–2015 was 76.6%.ConclusionWith China ending its one‐child policy, the characteristics of the obstetric population changed. Women with a single cephalic term pregnancy with previous CD were the largest contributor to the CD rate increase.
A hybrid contextual compression technique using wavelet and contourlet transforms with PSO optimized prediction
Authors: Sophia P. Eben , Anitha J. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractContextual compression is an essential part of any medical image compression since it facilitates no loss of diagnostic information. Although there are many techniques available for contextual image compression still there is a need for developing an efficient and optimized technique which would produce good quality images at lower bit rates. This article presents an efficient contextual compression algorithm using wavelet and contourlet transforms to capture the fine details of the image, along with directional information to produce good quality at high Compression Ratio (CR). The 2D discrete wavelet transform, which uses the simplest Daubechies wavelets, db1, or haar wavelet, is chosen and used to get the subband coefficients. The approximate coefficients of the higher subbands undergo contourlet transform employing length N ladder filters for capturing the directional information of the subbands at different scale and orientations. An optimized approach is used for predicting the quantized and the normalized subband coefficients resulting in improved compression performance. The proposed contextual compression approach was evaluated for its performance in terms of CR, Peak Signal to Noise Ratio, Feature SIMilarity index, Structure SIMilarity Index, and Universal quality (Q) after reconstruction. The results clarify the efficiency of the proposed method over other compression techniques.
Blogging in Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology: Assessment of ‘Blogosphere’ Content
Authors: Birgand Gabriel , Troughton Rachael , Moore Luke S. P. , Charani Esmita , Rawson Timothy M. , Castro-Sánchez Enrique , Holmes Alison H. 
Published: May 2017

OBJECTIVETo analyze influential infectious diseases, antimicrobial stewardship, infection control, or medical microbiology blogs and bloggersSETTINGWorld wide webDESIGNWe conducted a systematic search for blogs in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines in September 2015.METHODSA snowball sampling approach was applied to identify blogs using various search engines. Blogs were eligible if they (1) focused on infectious diseases, antimicrobial stewardship, infection control, or medical microbiology; (2) were intended for health professionals; and (3) were written in English and (4) were updated regularly. We mapped blog and blogger characteristics and used an innovative tool to assess the architecture and content of the included blogs. The motivations and perceptions of bloggers and readers were also assessed.RESULTSA total of 88 blogs were identified. Moreover, 28 blogs (32%) focused on infectious diseases, 46 (52%) focused on medical microbiology, and 14 (16%) focused on infection control or antimicrobial stewardship. Bloggers were mainly male with medical doctorates and/or PhDs; 32 bloggers (36%) posted at least weekly; and 51 (58%) had a research purpose. The aims were considered clear for 23 blogs (26%), and the field covered was considered broad for 25 blogs (28%). Presentation was considered good for 22 blogs (25%), 51 blogs (58%) were easy to read, and 46 blogs (52%) included expert interpretation. Among the top 10 blogs, 3 focused on infectious diseases, 6 focused on medical microbiology, and 2 focused on infection control (2 were equally ranked). The bloggers we questioned were motivated to share their independent expertise and opinions. Readers appreciated the concise messages on scientific topics and practical updates.CONCLUSIONSThis study describes high-level blogs in the fields of infectious diseases, infection control, and medical microbiology. Our findings suggest ways in which bloggers should build/orientate blogs for readers, and we have highlighted current gaps in blog topics such as antimicrobial stewardship.Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol2017;38:832–839
Newly formulated, protein quality-enhanced, extruded sorghum-, cowpea-, corn-, soya-, sugar- and oil-containing fortified-blended foods lead to adequate vitamin A and iron outcomes and improved growth compared with non-extruded CSB+ in rats
Authors: Delimont Nicole M. , Fiorentino Nicole M. , Opoku-Acheampong Alexander B. , Joseph Michael V. , Guo Qingbin , Alavi Sajid , Lindshield Brian L. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractCorn and soyabean micronutrient-fortified-blended foods (FBF) are commonly used for food aid. Sorghum and cowpeas have been suggested as alternative commodities because they are drought tolerant, can be grown in many localities, and are not genetically modified. Change in formulation of blends may improve protein quality, vitamin A and Fe availability of FBF. The primary objective of this study was to compare protein efficiency, Fe and vitamin A availability of newly formulated extruded sorghum-, cowpea-, soya- and corn-based FBF, along with a current, non-extruded United States Agency for International Development (USAID) corn and soya blend FBF (CSB+). A second objective was to compare protein efficiency of whey protein concentrate (WPC) and soya protein isolate (SPI) containing FBF to determine whether WPC inclusion improved outcomes. Eight groups of growing rats (n 10) consumed two white and one red sorghum–cowpea (WSC1 + WPC, WSC2 + WPC, RSC + WPC), white sorghum–soya (WSS + WPC) and corn–soya (CSB14 + WPC) extruded WPC-containing FBF, an extruded white sorghum–cowpea with SPI (WSC1 + SPI), non-extruded CSB+, and American Institute of Nutrition (AIN)-93G, a weanling rat diet, for 4 weeks. There were no significant differences in protein efficiency, Fe or vitamin A outcomes between WPC FBF groups. The CSB+ group consumed significantly less food, gained significantly less weight, and had significantly lower energy efficiency, protein efficiency and length, compared with all other groups. Compared with WSC1 + WPC, the WSC1 + SPI FBF group had significantly lower energy efficiency, protein efficiency and weight gain. These results suggest that a variety of commodities can be used in the formulation of FBF, and that newly formulated extruded FBF are of better nutritional quality than non-extruded CSB+.
Physical activity level of female and male adult cats before and after running wheel habituation
Authors: Detweiler Katelyn B. , Rawal Samona , Swanson Kelly S. , de Godoy Maria R. C. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThe objective of the present study was to evaluate whether access to a running wheel increases voluntary physical activity in adult female and male domestic cats. Eight neutered domestic shorthair male cats (mean age 8·6 (sd 0·05) years) and eleven intact domestic shorthair female cats (mean age 3·3 (sd 0·14) years) were group housed for 22 h daily and individually housed during the feeding period. Voluntary physical activity was measured using accelerometers. Experimental design consisted of 1 week of baseline physical activity measurement, followed by 3 weeks of wheel habituation, and 1 week of physical activity measurement post-wheel habituation. Female cat voluntary physical activity levels increased (P < 0·05) post-habituation during the dark period, resulting in an altered (P < 0·05) light:dark activity ratio, whereas male cat voluntary physical activity levels remained unchanged post-habituation. Food anticipatory activity did not differ pre- and post-habituation. However, it corresponded to a numerically greater proportion of daily physical activity for males (17·5 %) v. females (12 %). In general, female cats were more active than male cats. Habituation to a running wheel appears to be an effective method to increase voluntary physical activity of younger female cats. Thus, running wheels might be a potential strategy in the prevention or management of feline obesity.
Effects of goldfish (Carassius auratus) population size and body condition on the transmission of Gyrodactylus kobayashii (Monogenea)
Authors: ZHOU SHUN , ZOU HONG , WU SHAN G. , WANG GUI T. , MARCOGLIESE DAVID J. , LI WEN X. 
Published: May 2017

SUMMARYField surveys indicate that host population size, rather than density, is the most important determinant of monogenean infection dynamics. To verify this prediction, epidemic parameters were monitored for 70 days at five host population sizes held at constant density using a goldfish – Gyrodactylus kobayashii laboratory model. During the first 20 days, the rate of increase of prevalence and mean abundance was faster in small host populations. Total mean prevalence and total mean abundance throughout the experiment were not significantly affected by host population sizes. Higher transmission rates were detected in larger host populations. However, there were no significant differences in effective contact rates among the five host populations on each sampling day during the first 20 days, implying that contact rates may be saturated at a sufficiently high host density. These results demonstrate that the epidemic occurs more quickly in smaller host populations at the beginning of the experiment. However, the epidemic is independent of the host population size due to the similar effective contact rates in the five population sizes. Significant negative influence of the initial body condition (Kn) of uninfected goldfish on total mean abundance of parasites suggests that susceptibility of hosts is also a determinant of parasite transmission.
QUALITY OF SAMPLE SIZE ESTIMATION IN TRIALS OF MEDICAL DEVICES: HIGH-RISK DEVICES FOR NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AS EXAMPLE
Authors: Olberg Britta , Perleth Matthias , Felgentraeger Katja , Schulz Sandra , Busse Reinhard 
Published: May 2017

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the quality of reporting sample size calculation and underlying design assumptions in pivotal trials of high-risk medical devices (MDs) for neurological conditions.Methods: Systematic review of research protocols for publicly registered randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In the absence of a published protocol, principal investigators were contacted for additional data. To be included, trials had to investigate a high-risk MD, registered between 2005 and 2015, with indications stroke, headache disorders, and epilepsy as case samples within central nervous system diseases. Extraction of key methodological parameters for sample size calculation was performed independently and peer-reviewed.Results: In a final sample of seventy-one eligible trials, we collected data from thirty-one trials. Eighteen protocols were obtained from the public domain or principal investigators. Data availability decreased during the extraction process, with almost all data available for stroke-related trials. Of the thirty-one trials with sample size information available, twenty-six reported a predefined calculation and underlying assumptions. Justification was given in twenty and evidence for parameter estimation in sixteen trials. Estimates were most often based on previous research, including RCTs and observational data. Observational data were predominantly represented by retrospective designs. Other references for parameter estimation indicated a lower level of evidence.Conclusions: Our systematic review of trials on high-risk MDs confirms previous research, which has documented deficiencies regarding data availability and a lack of reporting on sample size calculation. More effort is needed to ensure both relevant sources, that is, original research protocols, to be publicly available and reporting requirements to be standardized.
Children's Second Language Acquisition of English Complex Syntax: The Role of Age, Input, and Cognitive Factors
Authors: Paradis Johanne , Rusk Brian , Duncan Tamara Sorenson , Govindarajan Krithika 
Published: May 2017

ABSTRACTThe goal of this study was to determine (a) the similarities and dissimilarities between child L2 and L1 acquisition of complex sentences and (b) the individual difference factors predicting L2 children's acquisition of complex sentences. We analyzed language samples from 187 English L2 children with diverse L1s (Agemean = 5;10 [years;months]; English exposuremean = 17 months). Children used various types of complex sentences at all levels of L2 exposure, including sentences with relative clauses, which are late-acquired by L1 learners. Mixed logistic regression modeling revealed that longer exposure to English in school, richer English environments outside school, larger L2 vocabulary, superior verbal memory and visual analytic reasoning contributed to greater use of complex sentences. L1 typology did not impact complex sentence use in the L2. Overall, L2 children used more complex sentences within a few months of English L2 exposure than what is reported for L1 children aged 2;0–4;0, revealing an advantage for an older age of acquisition. The predictive role of input and cognitive factors, as well as vocabulary, in children's use of complex sentences is more consistent with constructivist than generativist accounts of L2 syntactic acquisition.