bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Influence of environmental conditions on spatial distribution and abundance of early life stages of Antarctic silverfish,Pleuragramma antarcticum(Nototheniidae), in the Ross Sea
Authors: La Mesa Mario , Catalano Barbara , Russo Aniello , Greco Silvio , Vacchi Marino , Azzali Massimo 
Published: February 2010

AbstractThe Antarctic silverfishPleuragramma antarcticumBoulenger is the dominant fish species in the high Antarctic zone, playing a key role in the Ross Sea midwater shelf ecosystem. Unlike other notothenioids, it is holoplanktonic species, spending its entire life cycle in the water column. Early life stages ofP. antarcticumare generally found in the upper 200 m and their spatial distribution is largely affected by water masses and general circulation. To understand better the mechanisms involved in the geographical distribution of the Antarctic silverfish within the western Ross Sea, an analysis of abundance and distribution was carried out in relation to oceanographic conditions. Samples were collected in summer during the 1998, 2000 and 2004 Italian cruises, covering the majority of the western sector of the Ross Sea. Overall 127 stations were sampled using standard plankton nets for biological samples and CTD and XBT to record abiotic parameters. Although all surveys were in December–January, the yearly results differed in terms of relative abundance of larval developmental stages and of oceanographic characteristics. The 1997–98 samples were characterized by very low abundance overall and by the virtual absence of early larvae. In summers 1999–2000 and 2003–04 the abundance ofP. antarcticumwas one order of magnitude higher than in the earlier season. In 1999–2000 catches were mainly composed of pre-flexion larvae and late postlarvae, while in 2003–04 catches were made up of pre-flexion larvae and juveniles. In January 2000 the Ross Sea summer polynya was fully open as the pack ice was almost completely melted, whereas in January 1998 and 2004 the opening of the polynya was considerably delayed. As a consequence, a delay in phytoplankton blooms and a decrease in primary production were observed in the summer seasons 1998 and 2004 with respect to 2000. The spatial distribution of early life stages, that were confined to the continental shelf and shelf break of the Ross Sea, generally appeared to be positively influenced by transition zones (oceanographic fronts). In addition, most of catches were recorded on or in close proximity to the banks (Pennell, Mawson, Ross and Crary) that characterize the continental shelf of the Ross Sea. On the basis of present findings and literature data, a link between the general circulation in the western Ross Sea and the distribution pattern of the early life stages ofP. antarcticumhas been developed.
What Does a Random Contingency Table Look Like?
Authors: BARVINOK ALEXANDER 
Published: February 2010

LetR= (r1, . . .,rm) andC= (c1, . . .,cn) be positive integer vectors such thatr1+ ⋯ +rm=c1+ ⋯ +cn. We consider the set Σ(R,C) of non-negativem×ninteger matrices (contingency tables) with row sumsRand column sumsCas a finite probability space with the uniform measure. We prove that a random tableD∈ Σ(R,C) is close with high probability to a particular matrix (‘typical table’)Zdefined as follows. We letg(x) = (x+ 1)ln(x+ 1) −xlnxforx≥ 0 and letg(X) = ∑i,jg(xij) for a non-negative matrixX= (xij). Theng(X) is strictly concave and attains its maximum on the polytope of non-negativem×nmatricesXwith row sumsRand column sumsCat a unique point, which we call the typical tableZ.
Instrumentation for the search for habitable ecosystems in the future exploration of Europa and Ganymede
Authors: Chela-Flores J. 
Published: February 2010

AbstractThe extensive evidence of an ocean over a silicate nucleus makes Europa a candidate for the emergence of a second evolutionary pathway of autochthonous life. We argue that the most urgent question in astrobiology is the origin of habitable ecosystems (a question in geochemistry), rather than the alternative search for the origin of life itself (a question in chemical evolution). Since certain Solar System bodies may share a similar geophysical past with Earth, our more modest approach forces upon us the question: Can available instrumentation be the ‘pioneer’ in the discovery of habitable ecosystems in geophysical environments similar to the early Earth? It will be shown that a central piece in this dilemma is the chemical element sulphur (S). The Europan non-ice surficial elements that distort the water–ice absorption bands were found to be widespread, patchy and, most likely, endogenous. The Galileo Mission discovered these patches, which were subsequently confirmed by the 2007 flyby of New Horizons. We argue that penetrators should be inserted into orbital probes in the future exploration of Jupiter's System. Penetrators provide what could be a key instrument in the exploration of Europa, given the adverse space weather in its environment due to the Jovian magnetosphere and radiation. Indeed, there are alternative views on the radiation-induced S-cycles produced on the surficial molecules that are present on the icy surface; however, S is common to both interpretations. Hence, mass spectrometry should be an essential part of any future payload. The largest S-fractionations are due to microbial reduction and not to thermochemical processes, allowing a test of the hypothesis for the origin of habitable ecosystems. The microbial fractionation of stable S-isotopes argue in favour of penetrators for the survey of the surfaces of both Europa and Ganymede.
Greenhouse gas emissions from selected Austrian dairy production systems—model calculations considering the effects of land use change
Authors: Hörtenhuber S. , Lindenthal T. , Amon B. , Markut T. , Kirner L. , Zollitsch W. 
Published: February 2010

AbstractThe aim of this study was to analyze various Austrian dairy production systems (PS) concerning their greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) in a life-cycle chain, including effects of land-use change (LUC). Models of eight PS that differ, on the one hand, in their regional location (alpine, uplands and lowlands) and, on the other hand, in their production method (conventional versus organic, including traditional and recently emerging pasture-based dairy farming) were designed.In general, the GHGE-reducing effect of a higher milk yield per cow and year in conventional dairy farming cannot compensate for the advantages of organic dairy production which requires lower inputs. This is shown both for GHGE per kg of milk and GHGE per ha and year of farmland. Especially when (imported) concentrates were fed, which had been grown on former forests or grassland, e.g. soybean meal and rapeseed cake, GHGE of conventional dairy farming rose due to the effects of LUC.GHGE per kg milk varied from 0.90 to 1.17 kg CO2-eq for conventional PS, while organic PS on average emitted 11% less greenhouse gases (GHGs), the values ranging from 0.81 to 1.02 CO2-eq per kg milk. Within each production method, PS with a higher milk output generally showed better results for GHGE per kg of milk produced than PS with a lower milk output. Nevertheless the latter showed clearly better results for GHGE per ha of land used, ranging from 5.2 to 7.6 Mg CO2-eq per ha and year for conventional PS and from 4.2 to 6.2 Mg CO2-eq per ha and year for organic PS. The results of this study emphasize the importance of a complete life-cycle assessment in the evaluation of impacts that dairy PS have on the climate.
Impact factors of the sport sciences journals: Current trends, relative positions, and temporal stability
Authors: Tsigilis Nikolaos , Grouios George , Tsorbatzoudis Haralambos , Koidou Irene 
Published: February 2010

AbstractThe impact factor is a bibliometric index that reflects the frequency with which the “average article” of a scientific journal has been cited in subsequent publications. The purpose of the present study was to examine the current trends of the impact factor of the sport sciences journals, its relative position in relation to journals belonging to other scientific fields, and its temporal stability. Scientific journals' impact factors classified under the “Sport Sciences” subject category of the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) database from 2000 to 2006 were included in the present study. Results showed that during that period of time, 78 journals appeared in the “Sport Sciences” subject category. The mean impact factor rose from 0.851 (median=0.747) in 2000 to 1.178 (median=1.155) in 2006, following a linear trend or even a quadratic trend. The overall mean impact factor of the “Sport Sciences” category was 0.954 (median=0.876). In relation to the other 172 subject categories of the Science Edition of the JCR, “Sport Sciences” was placed slightly below the middle for the year 2006. Finally, intra‐class correlation coefficients (0.850) suggested that “Sport Sciences” journals' impact factors remained relative stable during the seven years examined.
Relative age effect in elite sports: Methodological bias or real discrimination?
Authors: Delorme Nicolas , Boiché Julie , Raspaud Michel 
Published: February 2010

AbstractSport science researchers refer to a relative age effect when they observe a biased distribution of elite athletes' birth dates, with an over‐representation of those born at the beginning of the competitive year and an under‐representation of those born at the end. Based on the complete sample of French male licensed soccer players (n=1,831,524), we suggest that there could be an important bias in the statistical test of this effect. This bias could in turn lead to the false conclusion of systemic discrimination in the recruitment of professional players. Our findings question the accuracy of previous research on the existence of this effect in elite soccer.
Changes in ankle joint stiffness due to stretching: The role of tendon elongation of the gastrocnemius muscle
Authors: Kato Emika , Kanehisa Hiroaki , Fukunaga Tetsuo , Kawakami Yasuo 
Published: February 2010

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to investigate changes in ankle joint stiffness and the associated changes in the gastrocnemius muscle and tendon due to static stretching. Seven healthy male participants lay supine with the hip and knee joints fully extended. The right ankle joint was rotated into dorsiflexion from a 30° plantar flexed position and the torque measured by a dynamometer. The ankle joint was maintained in a dorsiflexed position for 20 min (static stretching of the calf muscles). We performed surface electromyography of the medial and lateral gastrocnemii, the soleus, and the tibialis anterior of the right leg to confirm no muscle activity throughout static stretching and the passive test (passive dorsiflexion). During static stretching, the ankle joint angle and elongation of the gastrocnemius were recorded by goniometry and ultrasonography, respectively. Tendon elongation of the gastrocnemius was calculated based on the changes in the ankle joint angle and muscle elongation. In addition, the relationships between passive torques and ankle joint angles, and elongation of muscle and tendon, were examined before and after static stretching. The ankle dorsiflexion angle and tendon elongation increased significantly by 10 min after the onset of static stretching, while there was no further increase in muscle length. In addition, ankle dorsiflexion angle and tendon elongation at an identical passive torque (30 N · m) increased significantly (from 24±7° to 33±5° and from 17±2 mm to 22±1 mm, respectively) after static stretching. However, muscle elongation was unchanged. In conclusion, the current results suggest that an increase in the ankle joint dorsiflexion angle due to static stretching is attributable to a change in tendon not muscle stiffness.
Measurement error associated with the SAGIT/Squash computer tracking software
Authors: Vučković Goran , Perš Janez , James Nic , Hughes Mike 
Published: February 2010

AbstractThe velocities and distances covered by players during competition serve as a basis for planning fitness regimes according to the specific demand of the sport. The techniques used to calculate these movement parameters have ranged from human judgements to technological solutions such as GPS and computer vision. This paper evaluates the accuracy of a computerized motion tracking system (SAGIT/Squash) that uses computer vision methods on video captured via a fixed single camera located centrally above the court. Digital images were processed automatically with operator supervision so that any tracking errors could be rectified and manual tagging of all shots added. Four separate experiments were used to assess the error associated with tracking adult players' velocities and positions with respect to the court floor. Experiment 1 involved players standing still in different areas of the court. The tracking software was found to be more accurate when a player was stood in the centre of the court (1.33 m · min−1 error) than in the corners (2.61 m · min−1 error), predominately due to systematic errors (e.g. calibration). Experiment 2 was conducted in the same manner as Experiment 1 except that the players vigorously swung a racket around their body continuously. This resulted in 15 times the error found in Experiment 1 for the distance covered during 1 min. However, this is an unrealistic estimate of the true error when assessing matches, as during matches the racket is only swung approximately 35% of the time. Experiment 3 involved a player running at different speeds around a rectangular path on the court. The resultant trajectory, as captured by the software, was compared using different Gaussian smoothing equations of kernel widths 0.25 s, 0.5 s, and 1 s. The best solution (0.5 s) resulted in the most accurate trajectory, although the difference in distance calculated between the different equations was negligible. Experiment 4 used the 0.5‐s smoothing equation to assess the tracking accuracy for a player running at a relatively steady speed in a more realistic circular trajectory. The trajectory of the pixel image was shown to have a smaller radius than the reference trajectory at increased speeds, due to the tendency of the player to lean over when negotiating a circular path. The error associated with the distance covered over 1 min was shown to range between 1.33 and 21 m depending on the nature and position of the player's movements. Values, typically somewhere in this range, are likely to be evident during typical use of this software.
Cardiac resynchronization therapy may benefit patients with left ventricular ejection fraction >35%: a PROSPECT trial substudy
Authors: Chung Eugene S. , Katra Rodolphe P. , Ghio Stefano , Bax Jeroen , Gerritse Bart , Hilpisch Kathryn , Peterson Brett J. , Feldman David S. , Abraham William T. 
Published: February 2010

AimsCardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is currently limited to those with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤35%. To evaluate whether patients with LVEF >35% might benefit from CRT, we performed a retrospective analysis of the predictors of response to CRT (PROSPECT) database.Methods and resultsPROSPECT was a prospective, multicentre study that enrolled CRT patients based on enrolling centre‐evaluated LVEF <35%, but all echocardiograms were subsequently analysed by a core laboratory. Patients with core laboratory‐measured LVEF >35% (OVER35) were compared with those whose LVEF was <35% (UNDER35). Clinical composite score (CCS) and change in LV end systolic volume (LVESV) were analysed from baseline to 6‐month follow‐up. Of 361 patients, 86 (24%) had LVEF >35%. At entry, OVER35 had smaller LV volumes, shorter QRS duration, shorter 6‐min walk distance, and were more likely to have ischaemic aetiology than UNDER35. Outcomes were comparable between the groups, with 62.8% of OVER35 improved in CCS (70.2% in UNDER35) and 50.8% of OVER35 improved in LVESV (57.8% in UNDER35).ConclusionPatients with LVEF >35%, New York heart association functional Class III–IV status, and QRS >130 ms appear to derive clinical and structural benefit from CRT. As CRT may offer a valuable option for these patients, this hypothesis should be formally tested in a prospective, randomized multicentre trial.
Optimizing survey design for Scandinavian harbour seals: population trend as an ecological quality element
Authors: Teilmann Jonas , Rigét Frank , Harkonen Tero 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
Teilmann, J., Rigét, F., and Harkonen, T. 2010. Optimizing survey design for Scandinavian harbour seals: population trend as an ecological quality element. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 952–958. To be successful, conservation and management programmes require accurate data on abundance and population trends. Noise caused by within- and among-year variance should be minimized to optimize the statistical power for detecting changes in abundance. A total of 30 years of monitoring data from seven distinct subpopulations of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in southern Scandinavia was used to investigate the relative contributions of factors affecting the power to detect trends in abundance. The power is typically doubled under the conditions tested when carrying out annual surveys compared with every second year. The power also increases substantially when carrying out replicate surveys during the annual moult. The gain in power increases steeply up to three annual replicates, but then levels off, and it is further increased when the mean of the two highest counts of three annually repeated counts is used. We propose that harbour seal haul-out sites are surveyed every year during the moult, with at least three replicate surveys per year. This would provide robust data for analyses of population trends, facilitating management and identification of potential influences of diseases and anthropogenic activities.
Laboratory Yields and Process Stream Compositions from E‐Mill and Dry‐Grind Corn Processes Using a Granular Starch Hydrolyzing Enzyme
Authors: Arora Amit , Dien Bruce S. , Belyea Ronald L. , Wang Ping , Singh Vijay , Tumbleson M. E. , Rausch Kent D. 
Published: February 2010

ABSTRACTIn dry‐grind corn processing, the whole kernel is fermented to produce ethanol and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS); the E‐Mill process was developed to generate coproducts in addition to DDGS. Compositions of thin stillage and wet grains obtained from the E‐Mill process will be different from the dry‐grind process. Knowledge of thin stillage compositions will provide information to improve coproducts from both processes. Laboratory dry‐grind and E‐Mill processes that used granular starch hydrolyzing enzymes (GSHE) were compared and process yields determined. Two methods, centrifugation and screening, were used to produce thin stillage and wet grains from the laboratory processes. Compositions of process streams were determined. In the dry‐grind process using GSHE, solids contents of beer, whole stillage, and wet grains were higher compared to the same fractions from the E‐Mill process using GSHE. Solids contents of mash for both processes were similar. Total solids, soluble solids, and ash contents of thin stillage were similar for the two processes. Fat content of thin stillage from E‐Mill was lower than that from the dry‐grind process; protein content of E‐Mill thin stillage was higher than that from dry‐grind thin stillage. Removal of germ and fiber before fermentation changed composition of thin stillage from the E‐Mill process. The screening method produced higher thin stillage and lower wet grains yields than using a centrifugation method. The screening method was less time consuming but resulted in limited wet grains material for additional analyses or processing. The centrifugation method of thin stillage separation removed more solids from thin stillage than the screening method.
Association of Size‐Exclusion HPLC of Endosperm Proteins with Dough Mixing and Breadmaking Characteristics in a Recombinant Inbred Population of Hard Red Spring Wheat
Authors: Tsilo Toi J. , Ohm Jae‐Bom , Hareland Gary A. , Anderson James A. 
Published: February 2010

ABSTRACTVariation of polymeric proteins affects wheat end‐use quality. This research investigated associations of polymeric proteins with dough mixing strength and breadmaking characteristics in a near‐homogenous population of 139 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between two hard red spring wheat breeding lines. Flours from the RILs grown at three locations were analyzed for molecular weight (MW) distribution of SDS‐extractable and unextractable proteins using size‐exclusion HPLC protocol. Correlations were calculated between mixing and breadmaking properties and HPLC absorbance data obtained a 0.01‐min retention time interval to identify protein fractions that had a significant effect on the quality traits. Very high MW polymeric proteins in the unextractable fraction had more distinct and positive associations with dough mixing strength and bread loaf volume than did other polymeric protein fractions, whereas extractable polymeric had negative influence. Consequently, the ratio of unextractable very high MW polymeric proteins to extractable polymeric proteins had greater correlations with dough mixing parameters than other HPLC absorbance area data. Covariate‐effect biplots also visually validated positive effects of unextractable very high MW polymeric proteins and negative effects of extractable polymeric proteins on mixing properties and loaf volume across three growing locations.
Prospects for the manufacture of red cells for transfusion
Authors: Mountford Jo , Olivier Emmanuel , Turner Marc 
Published: February 2010

SummaryWhilst red cell transfusion is a well established cellular therapy, the problems of insufficiency of supply, transfusion transmitted infections and the requirement for immunological matching persist. The possibility of generating large numbers of O Rh D negative red cells at Good Manufacturing Practice grade as a route to circumvent these issues is therefore an attractive proposition. Significant numbers of erythrocytes can be generated from somatic haematopoietic stem cells, but it seems unlikely that these can provide sufficient volumes for large scale manufacture. However, human embryonic stem cells (hESC) and, potentially, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), may provide a route to this objective. Red cell transfusion is an attractive goal for pluripotent stem cell‐derived therapeutics because it is a well‐characterised single cell suspension that lacks nucleated cells and has a low expression of human leucocyte antigen molecules, but many challenges remain in translating this cellular therapy to the clinic.