bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Frontline Science: Wnt/β-catenin pathway promotes early engraftment of fetal hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells
Authors: Kwarteng Edward O , Hétu-Arbour Roxann , Heinonen Krista M 
Published: January 2018

Abstract
The switch from fetal to adult hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) is associated with profound changes in several genetic programs. Although HSPC ageing corresponds to alterations in Wnt signaling, relatively little is known about the relative roles of different Wnt signaling pathways in HSPC ontogeny. We hypothesized that proliferating fetal HSPCs would be more dependent on canonical β-catenin-dependent Wnt signaling when compared to quiescent adult bone marrow HSPCs. We have compared here Wnt signaling activities in murine fetal and adult HSPCs and demonstrate a shift from Wnt/β-catenin-dependent signaling in fetal liver HSPCs to more predominantly noncanonical Wnt/polarity signaling in adult HSPCs. β-Catenin was selectively required for fetal HSPC competitiveness shortly after transplant, and protected cells from oxidative stress. Our results emphasize the complexity of Wnt signaling dynamics in HSPC maintenance and function.
CIRP increases ICAM-1+ phenotype of neutrophils exhibiting elevated iNOS and NETs in sepsis
Authors: Ode Yasumasa , Aziz Monowar , Wang Ping 
Published: January 2018

Abstract
Sepsis represents uncontrolled inflammation due to an infection. Cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRP) is a stress-induced damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP). A subset of neutrophils expressing ICAM-1+ neutrophils was previously shown to produce high levels of reactive oxygen species. The role of CIRP for the development and function of ICAM-1+ neutrophils during sepsis is unknown. We hypothesize that CIRP induces ICAM-1 expression in neutrophils causing injury to the lungs during sepsis. Using a mouse model of cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis, we found increased expression of CIRP and higher frequencies and numbers of ICAM-1+ neutrophils in the lungs. Conversely, the CIRP−/− mice showed significant inhibition in the frequencies and numbers of ICAM-1+ neutrophils in the lungs compared to wild-type (WT) mice in sepsis. In vitro treatment of bone marrow-derived neutrophils (BMDN) with recombinant murine CIRP (rmCIRP) significantly increased ICAM-1+ phenotype in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The effect of rmCIRP on increasing frequencies of ICAM-1+ neutrophils was significantly attenuated in BMDN treated with anti-TLR4 Ab or NF-κB inhibitor compared, respectively, with BMDN treated with isotype IgG or DMSO. The frequencies of iNOS producing and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) forming phenotypes in rmCIRP-treated ICAM-1+ BMDN were significantly higher than those in ICAM-1− BMDN. Following sepsis the ICAM-1+ neutrophils in the lungs showed significantly higher levels of iNOS and NETs compared to ICAM-1− neutrophils. We further revealed that ICAM-1 and NETs were co-localized in the neutrophils treated with rmCIRP. CIRP−/− mice showed significant improvement in their survival outcome (78% survival) over that of WT mice (48% survival) in sepsis. Thus, CIRP could be a novel therapeutic target for regulating iNOS producing and NETs forming ICAM-1+ neutrophils in the lungs during sepsis.
Effects of nutrient variability in corn and xylanase inclusion on broiler performance, nutrient utilisation, and volatile fatty acid profiles
Authors: Williams M.P. , O'Neill H. V. Masey , York T. , Lee J.T. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe objective of the trial was to determine the impact of corn source and xylanase on broiler performance, digestibility, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) profiles. Six corn samples were obtained from different regions of the US. Twelve treatments were derived using corn source, with each corn diet being fed with or without xylanase. Three dietary phases were used throughout the trial, starter (d 1–18), grower (d 19–31), and finisher (d 32–41). On d 18 and 41, ileal and excreta contents were collected for the determination of ileal digestible energy (IDE), ileal energy and nitrogen digestibility coefficients (IEDC and INDC), apparent metabolisable energy (AME), and caecal VFA profiles. Day 18 body weight (BW) was affected by corn source and varied between 724 and 764g (P = 0.001). For d 31 BW, there was an interaction of corn source with xylanase (P = 0.001), with the effect of xylanase being inconsistent. The effect of xylanase on feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the grower phase depended on corn source (interactive term, P = 0.021). Xylanase reduced (P = 0.026) FCR during the finisher phase (1.943 vs. 1.992). Variation of corn source influenced digestibility on all evaluated parameters. A range of 152 and 213 kcal/kg for IDE was observed on d 18 and 41, respectively (P = 0.005 and 0.001). The range of AME was 176 kcal/kg on d 18 of age which increased to 194 kcal/kg on d 41. Nitrogen digestibility was influenced by corn source, with an observed range of 4.4 and 6.1% for d 18 and 41, respectively, amongst all corn sources (P = 0.001). Xylanase increased (P = 0.031) the concentration of butyrate in the caecum on d 18. On d 41, an interaction between corn source and xylanase was observed with isovalerate in the caecal contents (P = 0.038). These data demonstrate the impact of varying corn nutrient profiles on nutrient utilisation and growth performance.
Effects of clouds on surface melting of Laohugou glacier No. 12, western Qilian Mountains, China
Authors: CHEN JIZU , QIN XIANG , KANG SHICHANG , DU WENTAO , SUN WEIJUN , LIU YUSHUO 
Published: January 2018

ABSTRACTWe analyzed a 2-year time series of meteorological data (January 2011–December 2012) from three automatic weather stations on Laohugou glacier No. 12, western Qilian Mountains, China. Air temperature, humidity and incoming radiation were significantly correlated between the three sites, while wind speed and direction were not. In this work, we focus on the effects of clouds on other meteorological parameters and on glacier melt. On an average, ~18% of top-of-atmosphere shortwave radiation was attenuated by the clear-sky atmosphere, and clouds attenuated a further 12%. Most of the time the monthly average increases in net longwave radiation caused by clouds were larger than decreases in net shortwave radiation but there was a tendency to lose energy during the daytime when melting was most intense. Air temperature and wind speed related to turbulent heat flux were found to suppress glacier melt during cloudy periods, while increased water vapor pressure during cloudy days could enhance glacier melt by reducing energy loss by latent heat. From these results, we have increased the physical understanding of the significance of cloud effects on continental glaciers.
An empirical relationship for the seismic activity rate of the Groningen gas field
Authors: Hettema Marc H.H. , Jaarsma Bastiaan , Schroot Barthold M. , van Yperen Guido C.N. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe Groningen field is the largest onshore gas field in Europe. Continuous production since 1963 has led to induced seismicity starting in the early 1990s. Production measures aimed at lowering the level of seismicity have been implemented since 2014. In this paper we start from an empirical relationship between the cumulative number of seismic events and cumulative gas production. We show that a better way to analyse the data is to relate the ratio of activity rate over production rate versus the cumulative production, such that the model parameters and their uncertainty can be determined. This also allows us to make predictions including the confidence intervals.Using this model, we first performed regression analysis based on the larger seismic catalogue which includes all recorded events with a magnitude of 1.3 and larger, because we consider this value to be the magnitude of completeness since 1995. We have also performed regression analysis based on a smaller seismic catalogue consisting of all events with a magnitude of 1.5 and larger. This was done in order to be able to compare our forecast with forecasts performed by others. Our prediction for 2016, based on the seismic catalogue of all events with a magnitude of M≥1.5 (using only the events recorded before 2016), was 16±8 events. By the end of 2016, 13 such events had been recorded.We discuss a number of factors which may influence the predictive power of the derived relationship and which require further study. For instance, we consider the delay between production and earthquakes which increases with decreasing reservoir pressure. In addition, the effect of seasonal fluctuation in Groningen production should be considered. Future work can be done to include these effects in the empirical model. We also investigated the challenges related to the applicability of the analysis to sub-regions of the Groningen field.
Improved definition of faults in the Groningen field using seismic attributes
Authors: Kortekaas Marloes , Jaarsma Bastiaan 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe Groningen field is the largest onshore gas field in Europe. The gas-bearing section comprises aeolian and fluvial Rotliegend sandstones of Permian age and fluvial sandstones of Carboniferous age. Continuous production since 1963 has led to induced seismicity starting in the early 1990s.Faults at reservoir level play a major role in the seismicity in the Groningen field. Fault slip is expected when shear traction is sufficient to overcome frictional resistance on the fault surface. Clear insights into which faults and fault segments are most susceptible to seismicity could be used to optimise production and minimise the seismic risk. To gain these insights, a detailed and realistic fault model is required as input to both statistical analyses on seismicity and deterministic geomechanical modelling of seismogenic behaviour along fault planes. Geometrical seismic attributes and, subsequently, fault planes were extracted from a reprocessed and depth-imaged 3D seismic volume. This resulted in a detailed visualisation of the faults at reservoir level, with extension into the deeper strata below the reservoir in many cases. They represent fault planes with realistic dimensions and shapes. The fault map based on seismic attributes suggests the presence of faults that have not been included in studies on Groningen seismicity before. The improved fault definition correlates with recent earthquake hypocentres. We conclude that a detailed fault model of the Groningen field can be created using 3D seismic attributes and that detailed 3D fault planes can be extracted from these attributes. The results can be used as input to statistical and geomechanical analyses on seismicity.
Developing a model for the prediction of ground motions due to earthquakes in the Groningen gas field
Authors: Bommer Julian J. , Dost Bernard , Edwards Benjamin , Kruiver Pauline P. , Ntinalexis Michail , Rodriguez-Marek Adrian , Stafford Peter J. , van Elk Jan 
Published: January 2018

AbstractMajor efforts are being undertaken to quantify seismic hazard and risk due to production-induced earthquakes in the Groningen gas field as the basis for rational decision-making about mitigation measures. An essential element is a model to estimate surface ground motions expected at any location for each earthquake originating within the gas reservoir. Taking advantage of the excellent geological and geophysical characterisation of the field and a growing database of ground-motion recordings, models have been developed for predicting response spectral accelerations, peak ground velocity and ground-motion durations for a wide range of magnitudes. The models reflect the unique source and travel path characteristics of the Groningen earthquakes, and account for the inevitable uncertainty in extrapolating from the small observed magnitudes to potential larger events. The predictions of ground-motion amplitudes include the effects of nonlinear site response of the relatively soft near-surface deposits throughout the field.
A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF GROUP WALKING IN PHYSICALLY HEALTHY PEOPLE TO PROMOTE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Authors: Meads Catherine , Exley Josephine 
Published: January 2018

Background: Walking is a good way to meet physical activity guidelines. We examined the effectiveness of walking in groups compared with walking alone or inactive controls in physically healthy adults on physical activity and quality of life. (PROSPERO CRD42016033752).Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, Cinahl, Web of Knowledge Science Citation Index, and Cochrane CENTRAL until March 2016, for any comparative studies, in physically healthy adults, of walking in groups compared with inactive controls or walking alone, reporting any measure of physical activity. We searched references from recent relevant systematic reviews. Two reviewers checked study eligibility and independently extracted data. Disagreements were resolved through discussion. Quality was assessed using likelihood of selection, performance, attrition, and detection biases. Meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.3.Results: From 1,404 citations, 18 studies were included in qualitative synthesis and 10 in meta-analyses. Fourteen compared group walking to inactive controls and four to walking alone. Eight reported more than one measure of physical activity, none reported according to current guidelines. Group walking compared with inactive controls increased follow-up physical activity (9 randomized controlled trials, standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.58 [95 percent confidence interval {CI}, 0.34–0.82] to SMD 0.43 [95 percent CI, 0.20–0.66]). Compared with walking alone, studies were too few and too heterogeneous to conduct meta-analysis, but the trend was improved physical activity at follow-up for group walking participants. Seven (all inactive control) reported quality-of-life: five showed statistically significantly improved scores.Discussion: Better evidence may encourage government policy to promote walking in groups. Standardized physical activity outcomes need to be reported in research.
Electoral Politics in Punjab: A Study of Shiromani Akali Dal
Authors: KUMAR ASHUTOSH 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe article presents an overview of the electoral politics of Punjab as it has evolved since partition from the vantage point of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the oldest surviving state level party in India. It is argued that SAD has been the catalyst behind the major shifts in the politics of the post-partition state. Besides being the most successful party, apart from the Congress, since the state's reorganization in 1966, it has had statewide organizational presence. The Panthic party also receives attention, as it claims to be the legitimate custodian of the Sikh community's religious and cultural interests whenever they are perceived to be under threat, and not just their political interests. Post-militancy, the leadership of Badal has been instrumental in affecting a critical shift in the SAD agenda as it now seeks support based on its record at the front of development and governance rather than by evoking ethnic issues. Significantly, while SAD has retained its core social constituency of the rural Sikhs, it has also succeeded in reaching out to the urban Hindus, including the sizable dalits by following a regionalist populist agenda. Its long-standing alliance with the BJP, an urban Hindutva party, has helped the party broaden its support base. Emergence of AAP as the third credible alternative in what has long been a bipolar polity, with the political power remaining either with the Congress or with the SAD/BJP combine, has posed a fresh challenge to the long entrenched parties, most significantly the SAD which is no longer an ideologically driven cadre based driven movement party.
Purification and characterization of chitinase from the integument of the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and its antibacterial role
Authors: Mehranian Mahmoud , Pourabad Reza Farshbaf , Sokhandan-Bashir Nemat , Asoodeh Ahmad , Salihi Ahsan 
Published: January 2018

AbstractChitinases are found in species from all kingdoms, including Kingdom Animalia. We purified chitinase, poly [1,4-(N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminide)] glycanohydrolase, by cation exchange chromatography on SP-Sepharose from the integument of a lepidopteran, the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller, and further characterized it. Ephestia kuehniella chitinase has similar properties to other insect chitinases, with respect to the molecular mass. Its molecular mass was 79.7 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The optimum pH and temperature for activity were 6 and 40 °C, respectively. The purified enzyme exhibited stability at a pH range from 4.5 to 8.0 and showed high sensitivity to Co2+, Mn2+, Ca2+, Hg2+ and Ag+. The Km and Vmax values of E. kuehniella chitinase were, respectively, 3.98 mg/mL and 7.11 μmol/min/mg for colloidal chitin. In comparison to the values determined for the substrate affinity, the enzyme had a 2.36-fold higher affinity for Carboxymethyl–Chitin–Remazol Brilliant Violet (CM–Chitin–RBV) as a soluble substrate. We examined the antibacterial effect of E. kuehniella chitinase on the growth of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The enzyme inhibited the growth of Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus thuringiensis and Escherichia coli, where the average diameter of inhibition zone was 20, 23 and 19 mm, respectively. The antimicrobial effect and chitinase activity strengthen the hypothesis that the enzyme could be used in biological control against plant pests.
Multiple colonist pools shape fiddler crab-associated bacterial communities
Authors: Cuellar-Gempeler Catalina , Leibold Mathew A 
Published: January 2018

Abstract
Colonization is a key component of community assembly because it continuously contributes new species that can potentially establish and adds individuals to established populations in local communities. Colonization is determined by the regional species pool, which is typically viewed as stable at ecological time scales. Yet, many natural communities including plants, birds and microbes, are exposed to several distinct and dynamic sources of colonists and how multiple colonist pools interact to shape local communities remains unclear. Using a 16S rRNA amplicon survey, we profiled bacteria within surface, subsurface and burrow sediments and assessed their role as colonist pools for fiddler crab-associated bacteria. We found significant differences in composition among sediment types, driven by halophilic taxa in the surface, and different Desulfobacteraceae taxa in the subsurface and burrow. Bacteria from burrow sediment colonized the crab carapace whereas gut bacterial communities were colonized by burrow and surface sediment bacteria. Despite distinct colonist pools influencing gut bacteria, variation in composition across gut samples did not lead to significant clusters. In contrast, carapace bacterial communities clustered in six distinct groups loosely associated with crab species. Our findings suggest that multiple colonist pools can influence local communities but factors explaining variation in community composition depend on local habitats. Recognizing multiple colonist pools expands our understanding of the interaction between regional and local processes driving community structure and diversity.
Tell me about your hay fever: a qualitative investigation of allergic rhinitis management from the perspective of the patient
Authors: Cvetkovski Biljana , Kritikos Vicky , Yan Kwok , Bosnic-Anticevich Sinthia 
Published: January 2018

AbstractAllergic rhinitis (AR) is sub-optimally managed in the community and is responsible for a significant health and economic burden. Uncontrolled AR increases the risk of poorly controlled asthma and presents an increased susceptibility to thunderstorm asthma. With the availability of treatments over-the-counter, bypassing the health care professional (HCP), the role of the patient is paramount. Research on the role of the patient in AR management in the current environment is limited. This study aims to explore the patient perspective of AR management and understand why it is sub-optimally managed in the community. Patient perspectives of AR management were explored utilizing a qualitative, phenomenological approach. Adults with AR were included in the study and interviewed. Transcripts were analyzed for recurrent themes and emergent concepts. Forty-seven participants with AR were interviewed about their experiences. Patient reports of delayed diagnosis, treatment fatigue and confidence in the ability to manage their AR themselves, heavily influenced their management preferences. Patients also described barriers associated with AR management including financial expense as well as being mistaken for having an infectious disease. Patients described examples of the impact on their quality of life caused by their AR, yet they strongly believed they could manage it themselves. This belief that AR is a condition that should be entirely self-managed, contributes to its burden. It amplifies patients’ separation from HCPs and having access to guidelines aimed at optimizing their AR control.
Physiological status of plant tissue affects the frequency and types of mutations induced by carbon-ion irradiation in Arabidopsis
Authors: Hase Yoshihiro , Satoh Katsuya , Kitamura Satoshi , Oono Yutaka 
Published: January 2018

AbstractIonizing radiation including heavy-ion beams has been widely used in mutation breeding. Dry seeds, seedlings, and cultured tissues are often used for mutagenesis; however, little is known about the differences in induced mutations among them. Here, we examined the characteristics of mutations using randomly chosen Arabidopsis M2 plants derived from dry seeds and seedlings irradiated with carbon ions. The mutation frequency was 1.4–1.9 times higher in dry-seed irradiation than in seedling irradiation. This difference was mainly due to the three-times higher frequency of insertions and deletions (InDels) in dry-seed irradiation than in seedling irradiation. This difference increased the proportion of mutations predicted to affect gene function among all mutations identified by whole genome re-sequencing. Our results demonstrate that the physiological status of plant tissue greatly affects the characteristics of mutations induced by ionizing radiation, and that dry seeds are more suitable materials than seedlings for inducing loss-of-function mutations. The results also showed that single base deletions often occurred in homopolymeric sequences, while InDels larger than 2–3 bp often occurred in or near polynucleotide-repeat or microhomologous sequences. Interestingly, microhomology was less commonly found around large deletions (≥50 bp), suggesting that the rejoining process differs depending on the deletion size.
Experimental identification of non-classicality of noisy twin beams and other related two-mode states
Authors: Arkhipov Ievgen I. , Peřina Jan 
Published: January 2018

AbstractDifferent non-classicality criteria expressed in the form of inequalities among intensity moments and elements of photon-number distributions are applied to noisy twin beams and other two-mode states obtained from a twin beam by using a beam splitter. Their performance in revealing the non-classicality is judged in comparison with the exact results provided by suitable entanglement and local non-classicality quantifiers. Whereas the non-classicality of noisy twin beams is always revealed by these criteria, not all the nonclassical states obtained at the output of the beam splitter can be identified by these experimentally easily reachable criteria.