bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Does origin always matter? Evaluating the influence of nonlocal seed provenances for ecological restoration purposes in a widespread and outcrossing plant species
Authors: Reiker Jutta , Schulz Benjamin , Wissemann Volker , Gemeinholzer Birgit 
Published: November 2015

AbstractFor restoration purposes, nature conservation generally enforces the use of local seed material based on the “local‐is‐best” (LIB) approach. However, in some cases recommendations to refrain from this approach have been made. Here we test if a common widespread species with no obvious signs of local adaptation may be a candidate species for abandoning LIB during restoration. Using 10 microsatellite markers we compared population genetic patterns of the generalist species Daucus carota in indigenous and formerly restored sites (nonlocal seed provenances). Gene diversity overall ranged between He = 0.67 and 0.86 and showed no significant differences between the two groups. Hierarchical AMOVA and principal component analysis revealed very high genetic population admixture and negligible differentiation between indigenous and restored sites (FCT = 0.002). Moreover, differentiation between groups was caused by only one outlier population, where inbreeding effects are presumed. We therefore conclude that the introduction of nonlocal seed provenances in the course of landscape restoration did not jeopardize regional species persistence by contributing to inbreeding or outbreeding depressions, or any measurable adverse population genetic effect. On the basis of these results, we see no obvious objections to the current practice to use the 10‐fold cheaper, nonlocal seed material of D. carota for restoration projects.
World Bank Partnerships and the Promise of Democratic Governance
Authors: Kramarz Teresa 
Published: November 2015

AbstractThe World Bank promotes public–private partnerships as vehicles for democratizing environmental governance. This article presents an overview of their constitution in the World Bank, including what the Bank as an organization identified as their promise, and investigates what its partnerships for biodiversity conservation achieved. The article focuses on the institutional design of partnerships’ governance structures, and assesses their democratic quality based on their potential to enable inclusion and empowerment of stakeholders. It examines nine global biodiversity partnerships between the World Bank and non‐state actors from 1992 to 2008 and analyses the extent to which they have fulfilled the principled expectations expressed by the Bank. I find that partnerships have been organized through institutional arrangements that fail to promote inclusiveness and empowerment, which are minimum normative inputs for democratic decision‐making in natural resource management. This suggests that World Bank partnerships are not sufficiently well poised to fulfil the democratic promise. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Interagency Aspects of Environmental Policy: The Case of Environmental Health
Authors: Negev Maya 
Published: November 2015

AbstractNational government agencies typically are fragmented into fields, such as health, environment, transportation, economy and agriculture. Yet, advancing environmental health (EH) policy requires collaboration across agencies. This paper maps instruments for interagency EH cooperation, explores EH policy dynamics in Israel and identifies implications for policy integration. Twenty‐six semi‐structured interviews were conducted with policy‐makers and other stakeholders, and two integration instruments were explored in depth: an interministerial committee and a parliamentary committee. The examination revealed that integration of EH considerations may occur in various policy‐making settings and is sensitive to other inhibiting and facilitating factors, e.g. power relations and political will. In this preliminary qualitative study, higher levels of integration in the policy process did not result in more integrated EH outputs. We conclude that integration of EH considerations can take many forms and levels of cooperation, but always requires attention to the local setting, specific inhibitors and evaluation of outcomes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Cultivar discrimination and prediction of mixtures of Tunisian extra virgin olive oils by FTIR
Authors: Abdallah Marwa , Vergara‐Barberán María , Lerma‐García María Jesús , Herrero‐Martínez José Manuel , Simó‐Alfonso Ernesto F. , Guerfel Mokhtar 
Published: November 2015

Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, followed by multivariate treatment of the spectral data, was used to classify Tunisian extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) according to their cultivar. Moreover, these data were also employed to establish the composition of binary mixtures of EVOOs from different cultivars. For this purpose, the spectra were divided in 20 regions, being the normalized peak areas within these regions used as predictors. Using linear discriminant analysis, an excellent resolution between EVOOs from different cultivar was obtained. Moreover, multiple linear regression models were used to predict the composition of binary mixtures of EVOOs, being in all cases capable of predicting the percentage of one of the oils with average validation errors below 6%. Thus, the FTIR method proposed in this work, followed by chemometric analysis, could be used in an industrial setting since no complicated laboratory facilities are required, which could save great deal of time and money.Practical applications: EVOO quality can be affected by different parameters, such as cultivar and maturity index, among others, consequently, it is necessary to develop analytical methods able to verify EVOO quality, and also to control its origin since olive oil producers have to include in their manufactured products the cultivar (monovarietal oils) from which the oil was obtained. Currently, almost all the research related to Tunisian EVOOs has been mainly focused on the improvement and characterization of the two main cultivars (Chétoui and Chemlali). Thus, to diversify Tunisian olive oil resources and improve the quality of olive oil produced in Tunisia, research on additional cultivars needs to be conducted. Thus, the present methodology (including the application of chemometric techniques) could be used as an authentication tool for olive oil industry to assess cultivar of EVOO.ATR‐FTIR data of Tunisian EVOOs are used to predict EVOO cultivar using LDA.
Relationships between plasma and erythrocyte fatty acids in the de novo lipogenesis pathway, and metabolic disorders in French elderly patients
Authors: Henry Olivier , Vaysse Carole , Lopez Carlos , Driss Fathi , Fonseca Isabelle , Simon Noëmie , Guillou Céline Le , Masselin‐Silvin Sylvie , David Jean‐Philippe , Combe Nicole , Mendy François 
Published: November 2015

Undernutrition has been identified as a major contributing factor to morbidity and mortality in hospitalized aged patients. The lipid calorie undernutrition may lead to de novo lipogenesis (DNL); among the endogenous fatty acids, 16: 1(n‐9) and 18:1 (n‐7) have been previously associated with a higher risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). The aim was to examine possible associations between the fatty acids in the DNL pathway present in both plasma and erythrocytes of 188 patients aged 84 ± 7 years (48 men and 140 women) entering the geriatric department for evaluation and rehabilitation, and their metabolic disorders. The 18:1(n‐7) content in plasma cholesteryl esters (CE) was significantly higher in men (1.67 vs. 1.58% in women; P < 0.05). An inverse relationship was found between 18:1 (n‐7) and the two precursors of essential fatty acids (EFA), that is linoleic acid [18:2 (n‐6); LA] and alpha‐linolenic acid [18:3 (n‐3); ALA]. Moreover, an inverse relationship was found between 16: 1(n‐9) and LA. Sixty‐four percent of men suffered from dysglycemia versus 46% of women (P < 0.05). These patients were characterized by significantly higher content (+37%) of 16:1(n‐7) which derives mostly from DNL. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) was 30–40%, associated with a higher level of 18:0, regardless of sex.Practical applications: Improving nutrition for the elderly patients is a key challenge for rehabilitation. The diet of our oldest old patients was low in total calories and low in fat; it might be partly responsible for the levels of fatty acids from DNL observed. Further study is needed to investigate whether it is possible to reduce both 18:1 (n‐7) and 16: 1(n‐9) levels. We propose to test the improvement of diet for our oldest old patients by increasing fat up to 70 g/d which is the lower limit of the recommended amounts.Simplified summary of the main objective: to examine potential relationships between the fatty acids in the DNL pathway and metabolic disorders (dysglycemia and MetS), factors of the cardiovascular risk in the elderly patients by sex.
Shea butter solid nanoparticles for curcumin encapsulation: Influence of nanoparticles size on drug loading
Authors: Hajj Ali Hassan , Michaux Florentin , Bouelet Ntsama Isabelle Sandrine , Durand Pierrick , Jasniewski Jordane , Linder Michel 
Published: November 2015

In the present work, shea butter solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) were prepared by sonication using nonionic surfactants as stabilizers without organic solvent. The mixture design methodology enabled to control particles size from 50 nm to more than 1 μm according to the mixture composition. Then, curcumin, a natural polyphenol, has been encapsulated in nanoparticles with a wide range of diameters (50–230 nm) and the encapsulation efficiency has been related to the particles sizes. The bigger the nanoparticles, the lower the encapsulation efficiency. The lipid structure at non dispersed state and under SLN form has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry and X‐ray diffraction. From the obtained results, encapsulated curcumin did not affect the lipid properties at the SLN state unlike at non dispersed state. The localization of the curcumin in the outer shell of the lipid nanoparticles explained the evolution of the encapsulation efficiency according to the nanoparticles size.Practical applications: Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) can be used for the delivery of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs. Preparing such nanovectors with natural, non‐expensive materials and easily available (i.e., shea butter) will promote their potential use in several applications like oral, parenteral, dermal or ocular delivery. Controlling the particles size from the formulation composition and also the drug loading from SLN properties is of main importance to optimize the use of SLN as colloidal carrier.Mixture design of experiments methodology allowed the control of shea butter solid lipid nanoparticles size upon system composition. The influence of SLN size on the encapsulation efficiency of curcumin was studied.
Bayesian prediction of monthly precipitation on a fine grid using covariates based on a regional meteorological model
Authors: Sigurdarson A. N. , Hrafnkelsson B. 
Published: November 2015

In this article a Bayesian hierarchical model (BHM) for observed monthly precipitation is proposed. This BHM incorporates covariates based on an output on a fine grid from a regional meteorological model. At the data level of the BHM, the observed monthly precipitation is transformed using the Box–Cox transformation, and each month is modeled separately. To capture spatial correlation at the data level, a Gaussian field with Matérn correlation function is used. It is assumed that the data are subject to measurement error. The location and log‐scale parameters at the latent level are also modeled with Gaussian fields with Matérn correlation functions. An output from a regional meteorological model on a fine grid is used to construct spatial covariates for the latent parameters of the BHM for each month of the year. These covariates are then projected onto each of the observed sites for each month and incorporated into the BHM. Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation is used for posterior inference and Bayesian kriging is used to predict the latent parameters on the grid. This BHM was applied to observed data on monthly precipitation, which come from forty sites across Iceland from the years 1958 to 2006. The data were corrected for wind, wetting, and evaporation loss. An output from a linear model of orographic precipitation defined on a 1 km by 1 km grid over Iceland was used to construct the covariates for the BHM. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Acute embryotoxic effects but no long-term reproductive effects of in ovo methylmercury exposure in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata)
Authors: Yu Maria S. , Eng Margaret L. , Williams Tony D. , Basu Niladri , Elliott John E. 
Published: November 2015

Abstract

Mercury bioaccumulates in terrestrial ecosystems as methylmercury (MeHg), yet little is known about its effects on terrestrial organisms, including songbirds. The authors used a model songbird species, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), to assess short-term embryotoxic effects of in ovo MeHg exposure on hatching success and posthatching growth and nestling survival, as well as longer-term effects on mating behavior and reproduction. Egg treatment groups included a low-MeHg dose of 0.2 μg Hg g−1 egg (n = 36), a high-MeHg dose of 3.2 μg Hg g−1 egg (n = 49), and a control (n = 34). Doses were dissolved in nanopure filtered water and injected into the albumen on the day eggs showed signs of viability (3 d incubation). In ovo exposure to MeHg significantly reduced hatching success (53% in the high-MeHg dose group vs 94% in vehicle controls). Among hatched chicks, however, no effects of MeHg on growth, hematological variables, or nestling survival were detected. While the in ovo injection method resulted in a dose-dependent pattern of MeHg concentrations in blood of surviving chicks at 15 d and 30 d posthatching, there was evidence of rapid excretion of MeHg with nestling age during that growth period. At reproductive maturity (90 d of age), no long-term effects of in ovo exposure to MeHg on female mating behavior, reproductive effort (egg or clutch size), or growth and survivorship of offspring were observed. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1534–1540. © 2015 SETAC
Seasonal and flow-driven dynamics of particulate and dissolved mercury and methylmercury in a stream impacted by an industrial mercury source
Authors: Riscassi Ami , Miller Carrie , Brooks Scott 
Published: November 2015

Abstract

Sediments and floodplain soils in the East Fork Poplar Creek watershed (Oak Ridge, TN, USA) are contaminated with high levels of mercury (Hg) from an industrial source at the headwaters. Although baseflow conditions have been monitored, concentrations of Hg and methylmercury (MeHg) during high-flow storm events, when the stream is more hydrologically connected to the floodplain, have yet to be assessed. The present study evaluated baseflow and event-driven Hg and MeHg dynamics in East Fork Poplar Creek, 5 km upstream of the confluence with Poplar Creek, to determine the importance of hydrology to in-stream concentrations and downstream loads and to ascertain whether the dynamics are comparable to those of systems without an industrial Hg source. Particulate Hg and MeHg were positively correlated with discharge (r2 = 0.64 and 0.58, respectively) and total suspended sediment (r2 = 0.97 and 0.89, respectively), and dissolved Hg also increased with increasing flow (r2 = 0.18) and was associated with increases in dissolved organic carbon (r2 = 0.65), similar to the dynamics observed in uncontaminated systems. Dissolved MeHg decreased with increases in discharge (r2 = 0.23) and was not related to dissolved organic carbon concentrations (p = 0.56), dynamics comparable to relatively uncontaminated watersheds with a small percentage of wetlands (&lt;10%). Although stormflows exert a dominant control on particulate Hg, particulate MeHg, and dissolved Hg concentrations and loads, baseflows were associated with the highest dissolved MeHg concentration (0.38 ng/L) and represented the majority of the annual dissolved MeHg load. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1386–1400. Published 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US Government work, and as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.
Volumetric optoacoustic imaging feedback during endovenous laser therapy – an ex vivo investigation
Authors: Fehm Thomas Felix , Deán‐Ben Xosé Luís , Schaur Peter , Sroka Ronald , Razansky Daniel 
Published: November 2015

Endovenous laser therapy (ELT) was introduced in clinical practice for treating incompetent veins about fifteen years ago. Despite the considerable clinical evidence collected so far, no rigorous guidelines are yet available regarding the optimal energy deposition protocols while incidence of recanalization, lack of vessel occlusion and collateral damage remains variable among patients. Online monitoring and feedback‐based control over the lesion progression may improve clinical outcomes. Yet the currently employed monitoring tools, such as Doppler ultrasound, often do not provide sufficient contrast as well as three‐dimensional imaging capacity for accurate lesion assessment during thermal treatments. Here we investigate on the utility of volumetric optoacoustic tomography for real‐time monitoring of the ELT procedures. Experiments performed in subcutaneous veins of an ox foot model revealed the accurate spatio‐temporal maps of the lesion progression and characteristics of the vessel wall. Optoacoustic images further correlated with the temperature elevation measured in the area adjacent to the coagulation spot and made it possible to track the position of the fiber tip during its pull back in real time and in all three dimensions. Overall, we showcase that volumetric optoacoustic tomography is a promising tool for providing online feedback during endovenous laser therapy.
magnified image
Relationship of Height to Site-Specific Fracture Risk in Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Armstrong Miranda EG , Kirichek Oksana , Cairns Benjamin J , Green Jane , Reeves Gillian K ,   Valerie Beral for the Million Women Study Collaborators
Published: November 2015

ABSTRACT

Height has been associated with increased risk of fracture of the neck of femur. However, information on the association of height with fractures at other sites is limited and conflicting. A total of 796,081 postmenopausal women, who reported on health and lifestyle factors including a history of previous fractures and osteoporosis, were followed for 8 years for incident fracture at various sites by record linkage to National Health Service hospital admission data. Adjusted relative risks of fracture at different sites per 10-cm increase in height were estimated using Cox regression. Numbers with site-specific fractures were: humerus (3036 cases), radius and/or ulna (1775), wrist (9684), neck of femur (5734), femur (not neck) (713), patella (649), tibia and/or fibula (1811), ankle (5523), and clavicle/spine/rib (2174). The risk of fracture of the neck of femur increased with increasing height (relative risk [RR] = 1.48 per 10-cm increase, 99% confidence interval [CI] 1.39–1.57) and the proportional increase in risk was significantly greater than for all other fracture sites (pheterogeneity &lt; 0.001). For the other sites, fracture risk also increased with height (RR = 1.15 per 10 cm, CI 1.12–1.18), but there was only very weak evidence of a possible difference in risk between the sites (pheterogeneity = 0.03). In conclusion, taller women are at increased risk of fracture, especially of the neck of femur. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
Genetic Risk Scores Implicated in Adult Bone Fragility Associate With Pediatric Bone Density
Authors: Mitchell Jonathan A , Chesi Alessandra , Elci Okan , McCormack Shana E , Roy Sani M , Kalkwarf Heidi J , Lappe Joan M , Gilsanz Vicente , Oberfield Sharon E , Shepherd John A , Kelly Andrea , Grant Struan FA , Zemel Babette S 
Published: November 2015

ABSTRACT

Using adult identified bone mineral density (BMD) loci, we calculated genetic risk scores (GRS) to determine if they were associated with changes in BMD during childhood. Longitudinal data from the Bone Mineral Density in Childhood Study were analyzed (N = 798, 54% female, all European ancestry). Participants had up to 6 annual dual energy X-ray scans, from which areal BMD (aBMD) Z-scores for the spine, total hip, and femoral neck were estimated, as well as total body less head bone mineral content (TBLH-BMC) Z-scores. Sixty-three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped, and the percentage of BMD-lowering alleles carried was calculated (overall adult GRS). Subtype GRS that include SNPs associated with fracture risk, pediatric BMD, WNT signaling, RANK-RANKL-OPG, and mesenchymal stem cell differentiation were also calculated. Linear mixed effects models were used to test associations between each GRS and bone Z-scores, and if any association differed by sex and/or chronological age. The overall adult, fracture, and WNT signaling GRS were associated with lower Z-scores (eg, spine aBMD Z-score: βadult = –0.04, p = 3.4 × 10−7; βfracture = –0.02, p = 8.9 × 10−6; βWNT = –0.01, p = 3.9 × 10−4). The overall adult GRS was more strongly associated with lower Z-scores in females (p-interaction ≤ 0.05 for all sites). The fracture GRS was more strongly associated with lower Z-scores with increasing age (p-interaction ≤ 0.05 for all sites). The WNT GRS associations remained consistent for both sexes and all ages (p-interaction &gt; 0.05 for all sites). The RANK-RANKL-OPG GRS was more strongly associated in females with increasing age (p-interaction &lt; 0.05 for all sites). The mesenchymal stem cell GRS was associated with lower total hip and femoral neck Z-scores, in both boys and girls, across all ages. No associations were observed between the pediatric GRS and bone Z-scores. In conclusion, adult identified BMD loci associated with BMD and BMC in the pediatric setting, especially in females and in loci involved in fracture risk and WNT signaling. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.