bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improved morphological key to the species of the xylophilus group of the genus BursaphelenchusFuchs, 1937
Authors: Braasch H. , Schönfeld U.
Published: April 2015

Correct identification of the pine wood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus becomes more difficult, as more related or similar species are described. Spread of the nematode is being monitored worldwide, and in view of the fact that several new Bursaphelenchus species have been described, identification keys should be adjusted accordingly. Based on the identification key of the xylophilus group published by Braasch (2008) and the revised intrageneric grouping of Bursaphelenchus by Braasch et al. (2009), an improved dichotome morphological key including newly described species (B. paraluxuriosae, B. populi, B. macromucronatus, B. firmae, B. koreanus and B. gillanii) is presented. The recognition of the quarantine pest B. xylophilus using morphological characteristics in laboratories of the National Plant Protection Services is facilitated by a simplified key.
Detection and identification of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni from symptomless plant material: results of an Italian test performance study
Authors: Loreti S. , Pucci N. , Perez G. , Catara V. , Scortichini M. , Bella P. , Ferrante P. , Giovanardi D. , Stefani E.
Published: April 2015

Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni, the causal agent of bacterial spot disease of stone fruits, is a regulated quarantine pathogen in the European Union, listed as an A2 pest by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO). Because detection and identification of this pathogen is key for its management and to ensure the production of pest free propagation material, it should be based on reliable tests, in particular when dealing with symptomless material. The current EPPO diagnostic Standard (PM 7/64) does not provide specific molecular methods for detection of this pest. The present paper summarizes the results of a test‐performance study (TPS) to validate, at a national level, a detection procedure for this bacterium. A working group was established in order to evaluate the performance criteria for tests included in the current EPPO Standard, and for a conventional PCR. On the basis of the obtained performance criteria, a diagnostic procedure was elaborated and then applied to perform an inter‐laboratory comparison. Screening tests for the detection of the bacterium on symptomless plant material based on IF and/or PCR were proposed, in parallel with isolation on agar media. For identification two methods were suggested: a molecular test or IF. This paper reports on the results of the TPS and proposes a flow diagram for the detection and identification of X. arboricola pv. pruni.
Navigating a Sea of Change: Identity Misalignment and Adaptation in Academic Entrepreneurship
Authors: Meek William R. , Wood Matthew S.
Published: April 2015

The commercialization of university–held research discoveries is increasingly seen as a promising source of revenue, and a growing number of universities are adding policies and incentives in an attempt to encourage commercialization activities. The effectiveness of these efforts is in jeopardy, however, because these changes can unintentionally create an environment ripe for misalignment between policies and incentives and university scientists’ work identity. We develop a conceptual model that suggests such changes trigger moral and hedonistic cognitive dissonance, and in reaction scientists can engage in identity adaptation via distinct pathways, leading to different levels of commercialization engagement intensity.
Invasive trout increase the climatic sensitivity of zooplankton communities in naturally fishless lakes
Authors: MacLennan Megan M. , Dings‐Avery Chantal , Vinebrooke Rolf D.
Published: April 2015

Widespread stocking of fish into naturally fishless montane lakes has restructured their food webs by excluding invertebrate top predators and releasing smaller zooplankton from predation and competition. The persistence of non‐native trout in these lakes may also compound the effects of global warming, such that current efforts to manage these two stressors independently may be ineffective.

We conducted a survey of 22 naturally fishless and stocked lakes positioned along an altitudinal (and thus climatic) gradient and a two‐factor experiment using outdoor mesocosms. We hypothesised that stocked rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) increase the effects of higher temperature on zooplankton production in naturally fishless lakes by suppressing large invertebrates (e.g. Chaoborus), which then releases from predation smaller species that are more sensitive to warming. We also expected that introduced trout would stimulate primary production by suppressing larger grazers and increasing nutrient availability.

The survey confirmed that non‐native trout and temperature are significant explanatory variables of zooplankton species turnover. Both lines of evidence agreed that the positive influence of higher temperature on total zooplankton biomass occurred only in the presence of non‐native trout, probably because warming stimulated reproduction of smaller, herbivorous species that are favoured in lakes with stocked fish. Otherwise, the direct effects of higher temperatures on fishless communities were negligible. The positive effect of fish on primary production also probably provided the extra food to support greater reproduction by these small herbivorous species under warmed conditions.

Stocking trout into naturally fishless montane lakes increases the sensitivity of their zooplankton to the otherwise subtle direct effects of higher temperature. The likely effect of global warming on food webs in montane lakes may depend on their trophic structure, and the destabilizing influence of introduced fish.
Why do birds migrate? A macroecological perspective
Authors: Somveille Marius , Rodrigues Ana S. L. , Manica Andrea
Published: April 2015

Aim

Bird migration poses a challenge to macroecology, because with one in five species moving twice yearly between breeding and non‐breeding grounds, macroecological patterns in birds are dynamic rather than static. But migration is also a natural experiment for testing hypotheses about the ecological mechanisms driving species distributions. Here, we use macroecological patterns of migratory bird diversity to test whether seasonality, winter harshness and the cost of migration drive the global distribution of migratory birds.

Location

Global.

Methods

We used data on the distribution of the world's bird species to derive global empirical patterns of: the number of breeding migrants, the number of non‐breeding migrants and the difference in seasonal diversity. We built statistical models with ecologically meaningful predictors related to each of the hypotheses and investigated if they can significantly explain global empirical patterns of migratory bird diversity. We formally tested these models by training on one hemisphere (Western or Eastern) to predict the other hemisphere in turn. Model predictions were assessed in terms of match to the empirical data and their ability to predict the spatial features of patterns.

Results

We found strong support for the hypotheses that birds move to breeding grounds to exploit a surplus in resources, preferring areas with harsh winters (presumably to avoid competition). In contrast, distribution during the non‐breeding season seems driven by avoidance of harsh winters and connectivity to breeding grounds. Models integrating these hypotheses explain well the observed variance in the empirical patterns and reproduce key spatial features, even when models trained in one hemisphere are used to predict another.

Main conclusions

The strong predictive power of the models suggests that we have captured the main mechanisms that drive global patterns in bird migration. The fact that the models perform well despite being applied to species with very different ecologies suggests general mechanisms driving migration across taxa.
Resistance and resilience of terrestrial birds in drying climates: do floodplains provide drought refugia?
Authors: Selwood Katherine E. , Thomson James R. , Clarke Rohan H. , McGeoch Melodie A. , Mac Nally Ralph
Published: April 2015

Aim

Climate refugia will become increasingly important for biota as climate change causes an increased frequency and intensity of extreme events, such as drought. Floodplains are potential drought refugia because they have cooler and more mesic microclimates than adjacent areas, and greater water availability through shallower groundwater and flooding. We explored the role of floodplains as drought refugia by estimating the resistance and resilience of terrestrial birds over a 13‐year drought (the ‘Big Dry’) and for 4 years following the break in the drought in floodplain and non‐floodplain zones.

Location

Murray–Darling Basin, Australia.

Methods

We used Atlas of Australian Birds survey data from more than 39,000 surveys at over 28,000 sites to estimate trends in reporting rates in floodplain and non‐floodplain zones for 144 bird species during extended drought (1998–2009) and in the post‐drought period (2010–13).

Results

There was greater resistance to drought in floodplain zones: fewer species declined in floodplain zones (19%) than in non‐floodplain zones (29%) during the Big Dry, and more species had elevated reporting rates (13% vs. 8%). More species showed a recovery in reporting rates in non‐floodplain zones (40.3%) than in floodplain zones (15.3%) during the post‐drought period, which was expected because declines during the Big Dry were more common in non‐floodplain zones. There was some evidence for limitations in the resilience of floodplain avifauna, with only 17.9% of species that declined in floodplain zones during the drought subsequently recovering.

Conclusions

Floodplains appear to enhance resistance to drought for many bird species, and are likely to be particularly important as refugia in areas with an arid climate. However, their role in resilience is less clear. Floodplain ecosystems require long‐term management to relieve pressures and to restore their ecological condition so that their role as drought refugia is maintained or enhanced.
Facile Fabrication and Microstructure of α‐Al2O3/TiC Composite Coating as Tritium Permeation Barrier
Authors: Lu Caixuan , Li Heping , Liu Xiaobang , Xue Lihong , Yan Youwei
Published: April 2015

Well‐crystallized α‐Al2O3/TiC composite coating was synthesized on the surface of steel substrate by a facile laser‐assisted combustion synthesis technique without subsequent calcination. The effect of laser cladding speed on formation and microstructure of the coatings was studied. At 6 mm/s, α‐Al2O3/TiC coating with good quality was obtained without pores and cracks and was well bonded with the steel substrate. By adjusting the precoating thickness, the coating thickness was easily controlled. As a simple, environmentally friendly and energy‐saving technique, laser‐assisted combustion synthesis is expected to find applications in ceramic coating fabrication as tritium permeation barrier or wear‐ and corrosion‐resistance coatings.
Electrical Properties of Sr1–xBixFe0.6Sn0.4O3 Thermistor Ceramics
Authors: Yuan Changlai , Yang Tao , Chen Guohua , Zhou Changrong , Yang Yun , Zhou Xiujuan
Published: April 2015

BixSr1−xFe0.6Sn0.4O3 (0.2 ≤ x ≤ 0.6) thermistor ceramics were prepared by conventional solid‐state reaction method. The Bi substitution affected the crystalline structure and induced the decrease of lattice parameters a, b, and c in BixSr1−xFe0.6Sn0.4O3 ceramics, except for x = 0.6. The values of room‐temperature resistivity, thermistor constant, and activation energy of BixSr1−xFe0.6Sn0.4O3 ceramics were 7.05–6790 kΩ.cm, 4375–6694 K, and 0.378–0.578 eV, respectively. Electrical microstructural analysis indicated that in ceramic surface layers, grain boundaries, and grain cores of the thermistor ceramics, Ohmic behavior was the main conductive mechanism and space‐charge effect was dominant in grain shells.
Comparison of efficacy and toxicity profiles between paclitaxel/lobapoatin‐ and cisplatin/5‐fluorouracil‐based concurrent chemoradiotherapy of advanced inoperable oesophageal cancer
Authors: Yang J‐S. , Wang T. , Qiu M‐Q. , Li Q‐L.
Published: April 2015

Background and Aim

Current chemoradiotherapy doesn't usually effectively control oesophageal cancer progression. This study assessed the efficacy and toxicity profiles of paclitaxel/lobaplatin (TL)‐ and cisplatin/5‐fluorouracil (PF)‐based concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with advanced inoperable oesophageal cancer.

Methods

A total of such 68 patients was recruited and randomised to receive TL or PF‐based CCRT. Radiotherapy was given at a total dose of 60–70 Gy over 6 weeks. In the TL group of patients, paclitaxel 60 mg/m2 was administered intravenously on day 1, 8 and 15 and lobaplatin 30 mg/m2 was administered on day 2 in two cycles at 3‐week intervals. In the PF group, cisplatin 75 mg/m2 was administered intravenously on day 1, and 5‐fluorouracil 500 mg/m2 and leucovorin 200 mg/m2 were administered intravenously daily for 5 days in two cycles at 3‐week intervals. Adverse events, treatment response and follow‐up data were collected.

Results

The treatment response rates were 73.53% and 50.00% in the TL and PF groups respectively (P = 0.040). The median tumour progression‐free survival (PFS) was 13.0 and 6.5 months in the TL and PF groups respectively (P = 0.034). Compared with PF group, the TL group demonstrated decreased grade 3/4 nausea and vomiting (5.88% vs 35.29%, P = 0.003), decreased granulocytopenia (11.76% vs 32.35%, P = 0.041) and platelet count reduction (32.5% vs 8.8%, P = 0.016).

Conclusions

The TL treatment regimen demonstrated higher efficacy with less overall toxicity in patients with advanced inoperable oesophageal cancer compared with the PF regimen. Further study is warranted to validate our current observations.
Cardiac resynchronisation therapy in 2015: keeping up with the pace
Authors: Voskoboinik A. , McGavigan A. D. , Mariani J. A.
Published: April 2015

Despite improved understanding of the pathophysiology of heart failure (HF) and availability of better medical therapies, HF continues to grow as a cause of morbidity and mortality in Australia and worldwide. Over the past decade, cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT), or biventricular pacing, has been embraced as a powerful weapon against this growing epidemic. However, much has changed in our understanding of dyssynchrony in HF, and this has led to a change in guidelines to ensure more appropriate selection of CRT candidates to improve the ‘non‐response’ rate. More data have also emerged about the use of CRT in atrial fibrillation and in pacemaker‐dependent patients. There has also been a growing focus on multimodality imaging to guide patient selection and lead positioning. Exciting new lead technologies are also emerging, with the potential to improve CRT outcomes further.
Doctor‐to‐doctor communication of prognosis in metastatic cancer: a review of letters from medical oncologists to referring doctors
Authors: Moth E. B , Parry J. , Stockler M. R , Beale P. , Blinman P. , Della‐Fiorentina S. , Kiely B. E
Published: April 2015

Background

Shared understanding of prognosis is vital for optimal, multidisciplinary, clinical decision making.

Aims

This study aims to determine the frequency and nature of prognostic information in medical oncologists’ letters to referring doctors for patients with metastatic cancer.

Methods

We reviewed all consultation letters (to June 2014) for new patients with metastatic cancer presenting to medical oncologists at Concord and Macarthur Cancer Centres between June 2012 and June 2013. We recorded the presence and nature of prognostic information in the letters, patients’ characteristics and survival. Characteristics associated with inclusion of prognostic information were explored.

Results

We analysed 1344 letters pertaining to 272 patients with a median survival of 13 months. The median number of letters per patient was 4 (interquartile range 1–7), with 50% written by trainees. The terms ‘metastatic’ or ‘stage IV cancer’ were included in letters for 253 patients (93%), treatment was described as ‘palliative’ for 174 patients (64%) and the word ‘incurable’ was included for 93 (34%). Only 31 patients (11%) had a quantitative estimate of prognosis in any correspondence: median or average survival in 14, general time frame in 12 and, best case, typical and worst case scenarios in 5. Inclusion of quantitative prognostic information was not associated with patient age, cancer type, treatment plan, trainee authoring letter or shorter survival.

Conclusion

Inclusion of quantitative prognostic information in written correspondence from medical oncologists regarding patients with metastatic cancer was infrequent. Encouraging oncologists to include quantitative prognostic information in their letters could improve communication between oncologists, referring doctors and patients.
Contact sensitisation in patients with chronic leg ulcers
Authors: Artüz Ferda , Yılmaz Emrah , Külcü Çakmak Seray , Polat Düzgün Arife
Published: April 2015

The aim of our study is to identify the allergens in patients with leg ulcers who have contact dermatitis surrounding the skin of the ulcer and compare them with a control group consisting of patients with lower extremity contact dermatitis. A total of 40 patients with chronic leg ulcers (CLU) and contact dermatitis around the skin of ulcer were included in the study. As a control group, 20 patients with contact dermatitis of lower extremity without leg ulcers were included. The patient and control groups were patch tested with 37 allergens of the European Standard Series. Of the 40 patients, 31 (77·5%) had positivity to one or more allergens, and 10 (50%) of the control group patients had positivity to one or more allergens. The number of patients who had positivity to at least one allergen was significantly higher in the patient group (P < 0·05). Positivity to the balsam of Peru and benzocaine was significantly higher in the patient group than that in the control group (P < 0·05). Contact sensitisation to benzocaine and balsam of Peru was found to be associated with the presence of CLU. The efficacy of therapy in patients with leg ulcers might be increased by avoiding these allergens.
Treatment of peri‐implant mucositis using a glycine powder air‐polishing or ultrasonic device: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Riben‐Grundstrom Caroline , Norderyd Ola , André Ulrika , Renvert Stefan
Published: April 2015

Aim

To evaluate the clinical treatment effects of a glycine powder air‐polishing or ultrasonic device on peri‐implant mucositis.

Materials and methods

Thirty‐seven patients with one implant diagnosed with peri‐implant mucositis (probing depth ≥4 mm (0.2N) and bleeding on probing (BOP) (primary outcome)) were randomly assigned to treatment with either glycine powder air‐polishing (GPAP) or ultrasonic (US) debridement. Treatment was performed at baseline and at 3 and 6 months. Professional supra gingival cleaning was performed at 9 and 12 months. Oral hygiene instructions were reinforced at each visit.

Results

At 12 months there was a statistically significant reduction in mean plaque score, bleeding on probing and number of periodontal pockets ≥4 mm within the treatment groups compared to baseline. The percentages of diseased sites were significantly reduced for both groups.

Conclusions

Treatment with a glycine powder air‐polishing or an ultrasonic device is effective in non‐surgical treatment of peri‐implant mucositis.
Aristotle, Hume and the goals of medicine
Authors: Misselbrook David
Published: April 2015

Whilst medicine is now an immense global industry clinicians often appear unclear as to its goals. This paper uses two philosophical steps to clarify our conceptualization of health and thus our goals for healthcare. Firstly, clinicians need to understand the significance of Hume's fact / value distinction in medicine, for medicine relies on both facts and values. Secondly clinicians need a better specified definition of ‘health’ to use as a goal for healthcare. Aristotle's model of human flourishing is used as the starting point for a new conceptualization of health.
Absence of intrinsic post‐zygotic incompatibilities in artificial crosses between sympatric coregonid species from upper Lake Constance
Authors: Eckmann R.
Published: April 2015

A full factorial crossing experiment with five females and five males of each of two coregonid species from upper Lake Constance was used to test for intrinsic post‐zygotic incompatibilities during early ontogeny. Up until shortly before hatching, there was no difference in embryo mortality between homo and heterologous crosses. A maternal effect on mortality was found in both species, but paternal effects and female–male interactions were absent. Thus, genetic incompatibility during early ontogeny does not appear to prevent introgressive hybridization, suggesting that genetic divergence between these species is maintained primarily by pre‐zygotic barriers. The recent genetic homogenizations of coregonid species flocks in European alpine lakes may have been caused by a flattening of adaptive landscapes through eutrophication, but intensive stocking with larvae obtained in hatcheries from artificially fertilized eggs is also likely to be a contributing factor. To safeguard diversity among sympatric coregonids, it is important to re‐establish ecological conditions conducive to species divergence and to revise traditional management strategies.
Properties of Sugar‐Free Cookies with Xylitol, Sucralose, Acesulfame K and Their Blends
Authors: Kutyła‐Kupidura Edyta Maja , Sikora Marek , Krystyjan Magdalena , Dobosz Anna , Kowalski Stanisław , Pysz Mirosław , Tomasik Piotr
Published: April 2015

Recipes were designed for cookies with sucrose substituted with alternative sweeteners such as xylitol, sucralose and acesulfame K applied either separately or in blends. Rheological and textural properties of resulting doughs were examined. Sensory and textural parameters of cookies were compared with control samples sweetened with sucrose. Viscoelastic properties of the products containing blends of xylitol (X) with acesulfame K (A) (X25A75) and X with sucralose (S) (X50S50) most closely resembled those found for control sample. Doughs sweetened with blends dominated by xylitol had properties best resembling those for control dough. Hardness of baked cookies best resembled that of control when they contained either acesulfame K as the sole additive or a blend of xylitol with sucralose (X50S50). According to the sensory analyses, cookies sweetened with sucrose received the highest score (4.38 points), whereas those sweetened with a blend of xylitol and acesulfame K (X75A25, X50A50) received 3.47 and 3.30 points, respectively.

Practical Applications

The study offers the sugar‐free cookies sweetened either with xylitol or with a blend of xylitol and acesulfame K (X75A25, X50A50), which enjoyed with an appreciation of the sensory panel. The sugar‐free cookies elaborated in the presented study could be useful for people suffering from type 2 diabetes as well as for people with obesity. These are mostly diseases of civilization and people suffering from them have limited possibilities of sweet snack consumption. An application of technology, which uses alternative sweeteners, could be an excellent addition to their diet in sweet snacks.
Mild Cognitive Impairment Is Associated with Poorer Decision‐Making in Community‐Based Older Persons
Authors: Han S. Duke , Boyle Patricia A. , James Bryan D. , Yu Lei , Bennett David A.
Published: April 2015

Objective

To test the hypothesis that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is associated with poorer financial and healthcare decision‐making.

Design

Community‐based epidemiological cohort study.

Setting

Communities throughout northeastern Illinois.

Participants

Older persons without dementia from the Rush Memory and Aging Project (N = 730).

Measurements

All participants underwent a detailed clinical evaluation and decision‐making assessment using a measure that closely approximates materials used in real‐world financial and healthcare settings. This allowed for measurement of total decision‐making and financial and healthcare decision‐making. Regression models were used to examine whether MCI was associated with a lower level of decision‐making. In subsequent analyses, the relationship between specific cognitive systems (episodic memory, semantic memory, working memory, perceptual speed, visuospatial ability) and decision‐making was explored in participants with MCI.

Results

MCI was associated with lower total, financial, and healthcare decision‐making scores after accounting for the effects of age, education, and sex. The effect of MCI on total decision‐making was equivalent to the effect of more than 10 additional years of age. Additional models showed that, when considering multiple cognitive systems, perceptual speed accounted for the most variance in decision‐making in participants with MCI.

Conclusion

Persons with MCI may have poorer financial and healthcare decision‐making in real‐world situations, and perceptual speed may be an important contributor to poorer decision‐making in persons with MCI.
Functional Disability and Nursing Resource Use Are Predictive of Antimicrobial Resistance in Nursing Homes
Authors: Min Lillian , Galecki Andrzej , Mody Lona
Published: April 2015

Objectives

To use a simple measure of activities of daily living, wounds, and indwelling devices (urinary catheter, feeding tube) to predict prevalent, new, and intermittent multidrug‐resistant organism (MDRO) acquisition in nursing home (NH) residents.

Design

Secondary analysis, prospective cohort study.

Setting

Southeast Michigan NHs (n = 15).

Participants

NH residents (N = 111, mean age 81) with two or more monthly visits (729 total).

Measurements

Monthly microbiological surveillance for MDROs from multiple anatomic sites from enrollment until discharge or 1 year. The Arling scale, previously developed as a measure of NH residents' need (time‐intensity) for nursing resources, was used to predict prevalent and time to new or intermittent acquisition (months) of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin‐resistant enterococci (VRE), and antibiotic‐resistant gram‐negative bacteria (R‐GNB) colonization using multiple‐failure accelerated time‐factor survival analysis, controlling for comorbidity, hospitalization, and antibiotic use in the prior month.

Results

One‐fifth of participants had a wound, and one‐third had a device. There were 60 acquisitions of MRSA, 56 of R‐GNB, and 15 of VRE. Expected time to acquisition was less than 1 year for MRSA (median 6.7 months) and R‐GNB (median 4.5 months) and more than 1 year for VRE (median 40 months). Arling score was associated with earlier new MRSA and VRE acquisition. A resident with only mild functional impairment and no device or wound would be expected to acquire MRSA in 20 months, versus 5 months for someone needing the most‐intense nursing contact.

Conclusion

MDRO acquisition is common in community NHs. Need for nursing care predicts new MDRO acquisition in NHs, suggesting potential mechanisms for MDRO acquisition and strategies for future interventions for high‐risk individuals (e.g., enhanced barrier precautions).
Dimensional metrology of lab‐on‐a‐chip internal structures: a comparison of optical coherence tomography with confocal fluorescence microscopy
Authors: REYES D.R. , HALTER M. , HWANG J.
Published: April 2015

The characterization of internal structures in a polymeric microfluidic device, especially of a final product, will require a different set of optical metrology tools than those traditionally used for microelectronic devices. We demonstrate that optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging is a promising technique to characterize the internal structures of poly(methyl methacrylate) devices where the subsurface structures often cannot be imaged by conventional wide field optical microscopy. The structural details of channels in the devices were imaged with OCT and analyzed with an in‐house written ImageJ macro in an effort to identify the structural details of the channel. The dimensional values obtained with OCT were compared with laser‐scanning confocal microscopy images of channels filled with a fluorophore solution. Attempts were also made using confocal reflectance and interferometry microscopy to measure the channel dimensions, but artefacts present in the images precluded quantitative analysis. OCT provided the most accurate estimates for the channel height based on an analysis of optical micrographs obtained after destructively slicing the channel with a microtome. OCT may be a promising technique for the future of three‐dimensional metrology of critical internal structures in lab‐on‐a‐chip devices because scans can be performed rapidly and noninvasively prior to their use.
Transitions in the communication experiences of tracheostomised patients in intensive care: a qualitative descriptive study
Authors: Flinterud Stine Irene , Andershed Birgitta
Published: April 2015

Aims and objectives

To describe how tracheostomised patients in intensive care experience acts of communication and to better understand their experiences in the context of the transitions theory.

Background

Waking up in an intensive care unit unable to speak because of mechanical ventilation can be challenging. Communication aids are available, but patients still report difficulties communicating. Investigating how mechanically ventilated patients experience communication in the context of the transitions theory might elucidate new ways of supporting them during their transitions while being ventilated.

Design

A qualitative, descriptive design.

Methods

Eleven patients who had previously been tracheostomised in an intensive care unit were included in this quality improvement project conducted in a university hospital in Norway. Participants were tracheostomised from 3–27 days. Semistructured interviews were conducted from June 2013–August 2013, 3–18 months after hospital discharge. Transcripts were analysed using inductive content analysis.

Results

Participants reported a great diversity of emotions and experiences attempting to communicate while being tracheostomised. One overarching theme emerging from the analysis was the ‘Experience of caring and understanding despite having uncomfortable feelings due to troublesome communication.’ The theme consists of three categories. The category ‘Emotionally challenging’ shows that patients struggled initially. With time, their coping improved, as revealed in the category ‘The experience changes with time.’ Despite difficulties, participants described positive experiences, as shown in the category ‘Successful communication.’

Conclusion

The importance of patients experiencing caring and understanding despite their difficult situation constitutes the core finding. The findings suggest that participants went through different transitions. Some reached the end of their transition, experiencing increased stability.

Relevance to clinical practice

Despite challenges with communication, participants reported that caring and safety provided by health care professionals were significant experiences. They viewed nonverbal communication as being very important.
Factors affecting maternal serum magnesium levels during long‐term magnesium sulfate tocolysis in singleton and twin pregnancy
Authors: Nakazawa Hiroshi , Uchida Akiko , Minamitani Tomoyuki , Makishi Aya , Takamatsu Yukou , Kiyoshi Kenji , Samoto Takashi , Funakoshi Toru
Published: April 2015

Aim

Our aim was to determine factors that affect maternal serum magnesium (Mg) levels, to help ensure the safety and efficacy of long‐term magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) therapy for threatened preterm labor in singleton and twin pregnancies.

Material and Methods

We retrospectively and arbitrarily studied 100 patients (singleton pregnancy, n = 65; twin pregnancy, n = 35) who received i.v. MgSO4 for >48 h for tocolysis of threatened preterm labor. We used multiple regression analysis to investigate the functional relations between the candidate factors and maternal serum Mg levels.

Results

MgSO4 was administered as a loading dose of 3 g for 1 h followed by a maintenance dose of 1.0–2.0 g/h. There were no maternal severe adverse events related to the elevated Mg levels in any of the subjects. The results of multiple regression analysis revealed that total dose of MgSO4 for 24 h before blood collection (g/day), total serum protein level (g/dL), serum total calcium level (mg/dL), serum creatinine level (mg/dL) and maternal bodyweight (kg) significantly affected maternal serum Mg levels in both singleton and twin pregnancies (all P‐values were < 0.001). Gestational age (weeks) and period of MgSO4 administration (days) at blood collection had no significant effect in singleton or twin pregnancies.

Conclusion

Our study statistically shows that dose of MgSO4, total serum protein level, serum total calcium level, serum creatinine level and maternal bodyweight are key factors to achieving safe and effective long‐term tocolysis with MgSO4 in not only singleton but also twin pregnancies.
Factors influencing breastfeeding exclusivity during the first 6 months of life in developing countries: a quantitative and qualitative systematic review
Authors: Balogun Olukunmi Omobolanle , Dagvadorj Amarjagal , Anigo Kola Mathew , Ota Erika , Sasaki Satoshi
Published: April 2015

Breastfeeding is the most advantageous feeding option for infants, and epidemiological studies provide evidence for its promotion. The objective of this review was to comprehensively delineate the barriers and facilitators of exclusive breastfeeding of infants aged 0–6 months old by mothers in developing countries. A search of CINAHL, MEDLINE and PsycINFO was carried out to retrieve studies from January 2001 to January 2014. Using our inclusion criteria, we selected studies that described barriers and facilitators of exclusive breastfeeding. Qualitative and quantitative studies were considered. Twenty‐five studies involving 11 025 participants from 19 countries were included. Barriers and facilitators of exclusive/full breastfeeding were identified, analysed tabulated and summarised in this review. Maternal employment was the most frequently cited barrier to exclusive breastfeeding. Maternal perceptions of insufficient breast milk supply was pervasive among studies while medical barriers related to illness of mothers and/or infants as well as breast problems, rather than health care providers. Socio‐cultural factors such as maternal and significant other's beliefs about infant nutrition also often constitute strong barriers to exclusive breastfeeding. Despite these barriers, mothers in developing countries often possess certain personal characteristics and develop strategic plans to enhance their success at breastfeeding. Health care providers should be informed about the determinants of exclusive breastfeeding and provide practical anticipatory guidance targeted at overcoming these barriers. In so doing, health care providers in developing countries can contribute to improving maternal and child health outcomes.
Relationship between maternal pre‐pregnancy body mass index, gestational weight gain and childhood fatness at 6–7 years by air displacement plethysmography
Authors: Castillo Helen , Santos Iná S. , Matijasevich Alicia
Published: April 2015

This study aims to investigate the effect of maternal pre‐pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) on offspring body composition. In this prospective cohort study, offspring body composition at 6 years of age was obtained through air displacement plethysmography. Linear regression was used to obtain crude and adjusted coefficients. Information regarding offspring body composition and maternal pre‐pregnancy BMI was available for 3156 children and on offspring body composition and GWG for 3129 children. There was a direct association of maternal pre‐pregnancy BMI and GWG with offspring's fat mass (FM), fat‐free mass (FFM), fat mass index (FMI), fat‐free mass index (FFMI) and body fat percent (BF%) in crude and adjusted analyses. After adjustment for co‐variables, for each kg m−2 of maternal pre‐pregnancy BMI increase, there was a mean increment of 0.13 kg in the offspring FFM, 0.06 kg m−2 in FFMI, 0.11 kg in FM, 0.07 kg m−2 in FMI and 0.18% in BF%. For each kilogram of maternal GWG increase, there was a mean increment of 0.08 kg in offspring's FM, 0.05 kg m−2 in FMI, 0.04 kg in FFM, 0.01 kg m−2 in FFMI and 0.18 % in BF%. Mothers with a higher pre‐pregnancy BMI or GWG tend to have children with greater adiposity at age 6 years. Fetal overnutrition is more likely among mothers with greater BMI during pregnancy; as a consequence, it can accelerate the childhood obesity epidemic.
Effects of early vitamin D deficiency rickets on bone and dental health, growth and immunity
Authors: Zerofsky Melissa , Ryder Mark , Bhatia Suruchi , Stephensen Charles B. , King Janet , Fung Ellen B.
Published: April 2015

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with adverse health outcomes, including impaired bone growth, gingival inflammation and increased risk for autoimmune disease, but the relationship between vitamin D deficiency rickets in childhood and long‐term health has not been studied. In this study, we assessed the effect of early vitamin D deficiency on growth, bone density, dental health and immune function in later childhood to determine if children previously diagnosed with rickets were at greater risk of adverse health outcomes compared with healthy children. We measured serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D, calcium, parathyroid hormone, bone mineral density, anthropometric measures, dietary habits, dental health, general health history, and markers of inflammation in 14 previously diagnosed rickets case children at Children's Hospital Oakland Research Center. We compared the findings in the rickets cases with 11 healthy children selected from the population of CHO staff families. Fourteen mothers of the rickets cases, five siblings of the rickets cases, and seven mothers of healthy children also participated. Children diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency rickets had a greater risk of fracture, greater prevalence of asthma, and more dental enamel defects compared with healthy children. Given the widespread actions of vitamin D, it is likely that early‐life vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of disease later in childhood. Further assessment of the long‐term health effects of early deficiency is necessary to make appropriate dietary recommendations for infants at risk of deficiency.
Defending the Content Approach to Aesthetic Experience
Authors: Carroll Noël
Published: April 2015

This article defends the content approach to aesthetic experience. It begins by sketching this approach to aesthetic experience. It then rehearses certain recent criticisms of the view by Alan Goldman and attempts to rebut them. One of those criticisms raises a long‐standing concern about the author's account that has recently been called the “qua” problem. The article concludes by putting this issue to rest.
Bottom–up regulation of parasite population densities in freshwater ecosystems
Authors: Lagrue Clément , Poulin Robert
Published: April 2015

Theory predicts the bottom–up coupling of resource and consumer densities, and epidemiological models make the same prediction for host–parasite interactions. Empirical evidence that spatial variation in local host density drives parasite population density remains scarce, however. We test the coupling of consumer (parasite) and resource (host) populations using data from 310 populations of metazoan parasites infecting invertebrates and fish in New Zealand lakes, spanning a range of transmission modes. Both parasite density (no. parasites per m2) and intensity of infection (no. parasites per infected hosts) were quantified for each parasite population, and related to host density, spatial variability in host density and transmission mode (egg ingestion, contact transmission or trophic transmission). The results show that dense and temporally stable host populations are exploited by denser and more stable parasite populations. For parasites with multi‐host cycles, density of the ‘source’ host did not matter: only density of the current host affected parasite density at a given life stage. For contact‐transmitted parasites, intensity of infection decreased with increasing host density. Our results support the strong bottom–up coupling of consumer and resource densities, but also suggest that intraspecific competition among parasites may be weaker when hosts are abundant: high host density promotes greater parasite population density, but also reduces the number of conspecific parasites per individual host.
Consumer‐driven nutrient dynamics in urban environments: the stoichiometry of human diets and waste management
Authors: Cease Arianne J. , Capps Krista A. , Gates Kiza K. , McCrackin Michelle L. , Nidzgorski Daniel A.
Published: April 2015

Studies in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems have documented the potential importance of consumers on ecosystem‐level nutrient dynamics. This is especially true when aggregations of organisms create biogeochemical hotspots through nutrient consumption, assimilation, and remineralization via excretion and egestion. Here, we focused on aggregations of humans in cities to examine how diet and waste management interact to drive nitrogen‐ (N) and phosphorus‐ (P) fluxes into nutrient pollution, inert forms, and nutrient recycling. We constructed six diet patterns (five US‐based and one developing nation) to examine N‐ and P‐consumption and excretion, and explored their implications for human health. Next, we constructed six waste‐management patterns (three US and three for developing nations) to model how decisions at household and city scales determine the eventual fates of N and P. When compared to the US Recommended Daily Intake, all US diet patterns exceeded N and P requirements. Other than the “enriched CO2 environment scenario” diet, the typical US omnivore had the greatest excess (37% N and 62% P). Notably, P from food additives could account for all of the excess P found in US omnivore and vegetarian diets. Across all waste‐management approaches, a greater proportion of P was stored or recycled (0 to > 100% more P than N) and a greater proportion of N was released as effluent (20 to > 100% more N than P) resulting in pollution enriched with N and a recycling stream enriched with P. In developing nations, 60% of N and 50% of P from excreta entered the environment as pollution because of a lack of sanitation infrastructure. Our study demonstrates a novel addition to modeling sustainable scenarios for urban N‐ and P‐budgets by linking human diets and waste management through socio‐ecological systems.
Evidence for ecological release over a fine spatial scale in a lizard from the White Sands formation
Authors: Refsnider Jeanine M. , Des Roches Simone , Rosenblum Erica Bree
Published: April 2015

When a population experiences relaxation of selective pressures due to reduced predation or competition, it may undergo ecological release. Ecological release often manifests as increased niche breadth and trait variation, as individuals have the opportunity to exploit a wider variety of resources. At the recently‐colonized White Sands dune formation in New Mexico, lizards from white sand habitat have fewer predators and competitors than their dark soil counterparts, and show evidence of ecological release compared to dark soil lizards. To determine whether the dynamics of ecological release also play out over an even finer habitat gradient, we studied southwestern fence lizards in the center of the White Sands dune formation and the narrow ecotone between White Sands and the surrounding dark soil habitats. We predicted that lizards from the central dunes would exhibit ecological release in terms of broadened resource use compared to lizards from the ecotone. We first conducted avian surveys in both the central dunes and ecotone habitats to measure abundance, richness and diversity of avian species that could act as lizard predators. Next, we measured microhabitat‐scale resource use by comparing perch selection of lizards in both habitats. Finally, we measured landscape‐scale resource use by quantifying home range sizes and daily distances traveled by lizards in both habitats. We found that central dunes lizards used a greater diversity of perch types, and had greater variation in both home range size and daily distances traveled, than ecotone lizards. There were fewer predatory bird species in the central dunes than on the ecotone, and there was a tendency for fewer predation events in the central dunes than on the ecotone. Our results demonstrate that ecological release is detectable over a fine habitat gradient, such as between the center of a recently‐colonized habitat and its ecotone with the surrounding ecosystem.
Collard landraces are novel sources of glucoraphanin and other aliphatic glucosinolates
Authors: Stansell Zachary , Cory Wendy , Couillard David , Farnham Mark
Published: April 2015

The glucosinolate make‐up of the edible parts of some Brassica oleracea L. crops has been investigated previously, but the leafy‐green collard (B. oleracea var. viridis) remains relatively unstudied on this topic. Due to this lack of information, a collection of US landraces was examined for glucosinolate content of leaves. The specific objectives of this examination were to compare levels of certain glucosinolates among the conserved collard landraces, identify any individuals with a distinct glucosinolate profile and determine the potential of collard as a target for chemoprotective‐based plant breeding. During winter 2010/2011, 81 collard landraces, four other viridis and four collard cultivars were evaluated in the field and harvested leaves were assayed for glucosinolates. In a subsequent study, 19 selected landraces plus the cultivars were included in a repeat trial in 2012/2013. Eighteen collard landraces contained relatively high levels of glucoraphanin in leaves in both years, and three (designated G 32575, G 32580, G 32586 in the US National Plant Germplasm System) were found to contain glucoraphanin in excess of 9.5 μmol/g DM. The examined landraces are rich sources of important aliphatic glucosinolates, previously thought to be most abundant in other B. oleracea vegetables.
Laccaria bicolor aquaporin LbAQP1 is required for Hartig net development in trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides)
Authors: Navarro‐RóDenas Alfonso , Xu Hao , Kemppainen Minna , Pardo Alejandro G. , Zwiazek Janusz J.
Published: April 2015

The development of ectomycorrhizal associations is crucial for growth of many forest trees. However, the signals that are exchanged between the fungus and the host plant during the colonization process are still poorly understood. In this study, we have identified the relationship between expression patterns of Laccaria bicolor aquaporin LbAQP1 and the development of ectomycorrhizal structures in trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) seedlings. The peak expression of LbAQP1 was 700‐fold higher in the hyphae within the root than in the free‐living mycelium after 24 h of direct interaction with the roots. Moreover, in LbAQP1 knock‐down strains, a non‐mycorrhizal phenotype was developed without the Hartig net and the expression of the mycorrhizal effector protein MiSSP7 quickly declined after an initial peak on day 5 of interaction of the fungal hyphae with the roots. The increase in the expression of LbAQP1 required a direct contact of the fungus with the root and it modulated the expression of MiSSP7. We have also determined that LbAQP1 facilitated NO, H2O2 and CO2 transport when heterologously expressed in yeast. The report demonstrates that the L. bicolor aquaporin LbAQP1 acts as a molecular signalling channel, which is fundamental for the development of Hartig net in root tips of P. tremuloides.