bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Randomized Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Structured Educational Program for Patients With Essential Hypertension
Authors: Perl Sabine , Niederl Ella , Kos Cornelia , Mrak Peter , Ederer Herbert , Rakovac Ivo , Beck Peter , Kraler Elisabeth , Stoff Ingrid , Klima Gert , Pieske Burkert M. , Pieber Thomas R. , Zweiker Robert
Published: December 2015

BACKGROUND

Adherence to medication and lifestyle interventions are essential keys for the management of hypertension. In this respect, a structured educational program for hypertensive patients has got remarkable merits (herz.leben). In order to determine the isolated effect of participation in the educational program, neglecting the possible impact of more intense care, this prospective multicenter randomized controlled study was designed (NCT00453037).

METHODS

A total of 256 patients in 13 centers were enrolled and randomly assigned to 2 groups (G). G-I ( n = 137) underwent the educational program immediately (T-0), G-II ( n = 119) after 6 months (T-6). Follow-up visits were done after 6 (T-6) and 12 (T-12) months. Primary endpoint was a difference in office blood pressure (BP) at T-6, when only G-I had undergone the educational program.

RESULTS

Patients’ baseline characteristics were comparable. At T-6, systolic office and home BP were significantly lower in G-I compared to G-II: office BP systolic 139 (134–150) mm Hg vs. 150 (135–165) mm Hg ( P < 0.01); diastolic 80 (76–85) mm Hg vs. 84 (75–90) mm Hg (ns); home BP systolic 133 (130–140) mm Hg vs. 142 (132–150) mm Hg ( P < 0.01); diastolic 80 (75–85) mm Hg vs. 80 (76–89) mm Hg (ns)). At T-12, when all patients had undergone the educational program differences in BP disappeared.

CONCLUSION

The results of this multicenter randomized controlled study provide significant evidence for benefit by participation in a structured educational program. Positive effects seem to be mediated by better adherence and life style changes due to higher levels of information and patient empowerment. Therefore, educational strategies should be considered as standard of care for hypertensive patients.
Intra-specific variation in genome size in maize: cytological and phenotypic correlates
Authors: Realini María Florencia , Poggio Lidia , Cámara-Hernández Julián , González Graciela Esther
Published: December 2015

Genome size variation accompanies the diversification and evolution of many plant species. Relationships between DNA amount and phenotypic and cytological characteristics form the basis of most hypotheses that ascribe a biological role to genome size. The goal of the present research was to investigate the intra-specific variation in the DNA content in maize populations from Northeastern Argentina and further explore the relationship between genome size and the phenotypic traits seed weight and length of the vegetative cycle. Moreover, cytological parameters such as the percentage of heterochromatin as well as the number, position and sequence composition of knobs were analysed and their relationships with 2C DNA values were explored. The populations analysed presented significant differences in 2C DNA amount, from 4.62 to 6.29 pg, representing 36.15 % of the inter-populational variation. Moreover, intra-populational genome size variation was found, varying from 1.08 to 1.63-fold. The variation in the percentage of knob heterochromatin as well as in the number, chromosome position and sequence composition of the knobs was detected among and within the populations. Although a positive relationship between genome size and the percentage of heterochromatin was observed, a significant correlation was not found. This confirms that other non-coding repetitive DNA sequences are contributing to the genome size variation. A positive relationship between DNA amount and the seed weight has been reported in a large number of species, this relationship was not found in the populations studied here. The length of the vegetative cycle showed a positive correlation with the percentage of heterochromatin. This result allowed attributing an adaptive effect to heterochromatin since the length of this cycle would be optimized via selection for an appropriate percentage of heterochromatin.
Understanding the wide geographic range of a clonal perennial grass: plasticity versus local adaptation
Authors: Liu Yanjie , Zhang Lirong , Xu Xingliang , Niu Haishan
Published: December 2015

Both phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation may allow widely distributed plant species to either acclimate or adapt to environmental heterogeneity. Given the typically low genetic variation of clonal plants across their habitats, phenotypic plasticity may be the primary adaptive strategy allowing them to thrive across a wide range of habitats. In this study, the mechanism supporting the widespread distribution of the clonal plant Leymus chinensis was determined, i.e. phenotypic plasticity or local specialization in water use efficiency (WUE; reflected by foliar δ 13 C). To test whether plasticity is required for the species to thrive in different habitats, samples were collected across its distribution in the Mongolian steppe, and a controlled watering experiment was conducted with two populations at two different sites. Five populations were also transplanted from different sites into a control environment, and the foliar δ 13 C was compared between the control and original habitats, to test for local specialization in WUE. Results demonstrated decreased foliar δ 13 C with increasing precipitation during controlled watering experiments, with divergent responses between the two populations assessed. Change in foliar δ 13 C (−3.69 ‰) due to water addition was comparable to fluctuations of foliar δ 13 C observed in situ (−4.83 ‰). Foliar δ 13 C differed by −0.91 ‰ between two transplanted populations; however, this difference was not apparent between the two populations when growing in their original habitats. Findings provide evidence that local adaptation affects foliar δ 13 C much less than phenotypic plasticity. Thus, plasticity in WUE is more important than local adaptation in allowing the clonal plant L. chinensis to occupy a wide range of habitats in the Mongolian steppe.
Phylogeography above the species level for perennial species in a composite
genus
Authors: Tremetsberger Karin , Ortiz María Ángeles , Terrab Anass , Balao Francisco , Casimiro-Soriguer Ramón , Talavera María , Talavera Salvador
Published: December 2015

In phylogeography, DNA sequence and fingerprint data at the population level are used to infer evolutionary histories of species. Phylogeography above the species level is concerned with the genealogical aspects of divergent lineages. Here, we present a phylogeographic study to examine the evolutionary history of a western Mediterranean composite, focusing on the perennial species of Helminthotheca (Asteraceae, Cichorieae). We used molecular markers (amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), internal transcribed spacer and plastid DNA sequences) to infer relationships among populations throughout the distributional range of the group. Interpretation is aided by biogeographic and molecular clock analyses. Four coherent entities are revealed by Bayesian mixture clustering of AFLP data, which correspond to taxa previously recognized at the rank of subspecies. The origin of the group was in western North Africa, from where it expanded across the Strait of Gibraltar to the Iberian Peninsula and across the Strait of Sicily to Sicily. Pleistocene lineage divergence is inferred within western North Africa as well as within the western Iberian region. The existence of the four entities as discrete evolutionary lineages suggests that they should be elevated to the rank of species, yielding H. aculeata , H. comosa , H. maroccana and H. spinosa , whereby the latter two necessitate new combinations.
Influence of low calcium availability on cadmium uptake and translocation in a fast-growing shrub and a metal-accumulating herb
Authors: Eller Franziska , Brix Hans
Published: December 2015

Calcium (Ca) and the toxic heavy metal cadmium (Cd) are antagonistic ions competing for uptake in plants when they co-occur in soil solutions, and high Ca concentrations can reduce the uptake of Cd in plants. However, less is known about the effects of low Ca bioavailability on Cd uptake and translocation in plants. We hypothesized that low Ca availability would enhance Cd uptake and translocation in Sesbania sesban , a fast-growing shrub potentially useful for Cd removal from contaminated soils, and Brassica juncea , a well-known Cd-hyperaccumulator. The two species were grown under controlled conditions for 21 days in hydroponic nutrient solutions with either 0.2 or 2 mM Ca and 0 or 50 µM Cd in a 2 × 2 factorial experimental design. Both species had a lower relative growth rate, final root length and shoot and root biomasses at 50 µM Cd compared with growth without Cd. The negative effects of Cd on both species were exacerbated at low Ca availability. Brassica juncea had higher root Cd concentrations than S. sesban , but the shoot Cd concentrations did not differ between the two species. The low Ca concentration enhanced the uptake of Cd in the roots of both species, but Cd translocation to the shoots was low, especially at 0.2 mM Ca. We conclude that the low Ca concentration enhanced the uptake of Cd into roots of S. sesban and B. juncea and increased the phytotoxicity of Cd. The translocation of Cd to the shoots of the two species was, however, lower at 0.2 mM than at 2 mM Ca, implying that Cd removal from polluted soil cannot simply be increased by adjusting ion concentrations.
Manta: rapid detection of structural variants and indels for germline and cancer sequencing applications
Authors: Chen Xiaoyu , Schulz-Trieglaff Ole , Shaw Richard , Barnes Bret , Schlesinger Felix , Källberg Morten , Cox Anthony J. , Kruglyak Semyon , Saunders Christopher T.
Published: December 2015

Summary: We describe Manta, a method to discover structural variants and indels from next generation sequencing data. Manta is optimized for rapid germline and somatic analysis, calling structural variants, medium-sized indels and large insertions on standard compute hardware in less than a tenth of the time that comparable methods require to identify only subsets of these variant types: for example NA12878 at 50× genomic coverage is analyzed in less than 20 min. Manta can discover and score variants based on supporting paired and split-read evidence, with scoring models optimized for germline analysis of diploid individuals and somatic analysis of tumor-normal sample pairs. Call quality is similar to or better than comparable methods, as determined by pedigree consistency of germline calls and comparison of somatic calls to COSMIC database variants. Manta consistently assembles a higher fraction of its calls to base-pair resolution, allowing for improved downstream annotation and analysis of clinical significance. We provide Manta as a community resource to facilitate practical and routine structural variant analysis in clinical and research sequencing scenarios.

Availability and implementation: Manta is released under the open-source GPLv3 license. Source code, documentation and Linux binaries are available from https://github.com/Illumina/manta.

Contact: csaunders@illumina.com

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Sampling ARG of multiple populations under complex configurations of subdivision and admixture
Authors: Carrieri Anna Paola , Utro Filippo , Parida Laxmi
Published: December 2015

Motivation: Simulating complex evolution scenarios of multiple populations is an important task for answering many basic questions relating to population genomics. Apart from the population samples, the underlying Ancestral Recombinations Graph (ARG) is an additional important means in hypothesis checking and reconstruction studies. Furthermore, complex simulations require a plethora of interdependent parameters making even the scenario-specification highly non-trivial.

Results: We present an algorithm SimRA that simulates generic multiple population evolution model with admixture. It is based on random graphs that improve dramatically in time and space requirements of the classical algorithm of single populations.

Using the underlying random graphs model, we also derive closed forms of expected values of the ARG characteristics i.e., height of the graph, number of recombinations, number of mutations and population diversity in terms of its defining parameters. This is crucial in aiding the user to specify meaningful parameters for the complex scenario simulations, not through trial-and-error based on raw compute power but intelligent parameter estimation. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time closed form expressions have been computed for the ARG properties. We show that the expected values closely match the empirical values through simulations.

Finally, we demonstrate that SimRA produces the ARG in compact forms without compromising any accuracy. We demonstrate the compactness and accuracy through extensive experiments.

Availability and implementation: SimRA (Simulation based on Random graph Algorithms) source, executable, user manual and sample input-output sets are available for downloading at: https://github.com/ComputationalGenomics/SimRA

Contact: parida@us.ibm.com

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Tropical crustose coralline algal individual and community responses to elevated pCO2 under high and low irradiance
Authors: Dutra Elizabeth , Koch Marguerite , Peach Katherine , Manfrino Carrie
Published: December 2015

Crustose coralline algae (CCA) cement reefs and create important habitat and settling sites for reef organisms. The susceptibility of CCA to increasing ocean pCO2 and declining pH or ocean acidification (OA) is a growing concern. Although CCA are autotrophs, there has been little focus on the interaction of elevated pCO2 and irradiance. We examined elevated pCO2 effects on individual CCA and macroalgal benthic communities at high and low irradiance (205–13 µmol photons m−2 s−1) in an aquaria experiment (35 d, June–August 2014) on Little Cayman Island, Caribbean. A dominant Cayman reef wall CCA (Peyssonnelia sp.) in its adult lobed form and individual CCA recruits were used as experimental units. Changes in CCA, fleshy macroalgae (branching and turfs), and microalgae (including microbial biofilm) per cent cover and frequency were examined on macroalgal communities that settled onto plates from the reef. Reef diel cycles of pCO2 and pH were simulated using seawater inflow from a back reef. Although CO2 enrichment to year 2100 levels resulted in 1087 µatm pCO2 in the elevated pCO2 treatment, CaCO3 saturation states remained high (Ωcal ≥ 2.7). Under these conditions, elevated pCO2 had no effect on Peyssonnelia sp. calcification rates or survival regardless of irradiance. Individual CCA surface area on the bottom of settling plates was lower under elevated pCO2, but per cent cover or frequency within the community was unchanged. In contrast, there was a strong and consistent community assemblage response to irradiance. Microalgae increased at high irradiance and CCA increased under low irradiance with no significant pCO2 interaction. Based on this short-term experiment, tropical macroalgal communities are unlikely to shift at pCO2 levels predicted for year 2100 under high or low irradiance. Rather, irradiance and other factors that promote microalgae are likely to be strong drivers of tropical benthic algal community structure under climate change.
Long-term shift in coastal fish communities before and after the collapse of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)
Authors: McCain J. Scott P. , Cull Deneen J. , Schneider David C. , Lotze Heike K.
Published: December 2015

The collapse of the Northwest Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) stocks in the early 1990s led to widespread ecological changes offshore. Changes in coastal fish communities are less known, largely due to the lack of historical records and long-term, standardized research surveys in coastal ecosystems. We aimed to overcome this with a unique dataset known as the Fleming survey. From 1959 to 1964, a systematic beach-seine survey was conducted to examine juvenile cod abundance in 84 bays (42 of which were consistently sampled and therefore analysed) along the east coast of Newfoundland. In addition to cod, all other fish collected in the seines were recorded. These surveys were repeated from 1992 to 1996 after the cod collapse, and document a substantial reduction in a dominant inshore species—juvenile Atlantic cod. We show that total fish abundance declined significantly with the decrease of cod, whereas Shannon diversity and species evenness significantly increased. Species richness increased in some regions but decreased in others. We also found significant changes in the composition of the fish community likely due to a combination of release from predation from fewer large cod feeding in inshore areas as well as a release from competition from fewer juvenile cod occupying the coastal habitat. Region and the presence of vegetated habitats also significantly influenced the fish community. This study shows a strong reorganization of coastal fish communities after a large-scale fisheries collapse with implications for ecosystem-based and cross-ecosystem management.
Characterization of Maize Starch Nanoparticles Prepared by Acid Hydrolysis
Authors: Perez Herrera Mariana , Vasanthan Thava , Hoover Ratnajothi
Published: December 2015

Starch nanoparticles (SNP) from maize starches of varying amylose content (0–71%) were prepared by acid hydrolysis (3.16M H2SO4, at 40°C up to 6 days) followed by repeated water washings. During the washing cycles, nonwaxy starches (normal, Hylon V, and Hylon VII) had suspended particles in the water washings, which were not evident in waxy starch. Microscopic examination revealed the presence of SNP in the “cloudy supernatants” of nonwaxy starches and in the “final washed residue” of waxy maize. The objective of this study was to collect SNP fractions accordingly and determine whether variation in the native starch amylose content would influence the yield, morphology, and crystallinity of the SNP. In nonwaxy starches, the yield of SNP increased up to 26.6% with hydrolysis time and was proportional to the amylose content. Morphology of SNP differed with starch type: flat/elliptical (500 nm) in waxy, oval/irregular (50–200 nm) in normal, oval/round (40–50 nm) in Hylon V, and square/polygonal (50–100 nm) in Hylon VII. X‐ray diffraction confirmed the presence of A‐type crystals in SNP from all starch types and a crystalline transformation from B‐ to A‐type in Hylon starches. The relative crystallinity of SNP was higher than their native starch counterparts.
Pin Nematode Slow Decline of Anthurium andraeanum, a New Disease Caused by the Pin Nematode Paratylenchus shenzhenensis
Authors: Wang Ke , Li Yu , Xie Hui , Wu Wen-Jia , Xu Chun-Ling
Published: December 2015

High population densities of the plant-parasitic nematode Paratylenchus shenzhenensis have been observed in association with stunted anthurium in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. P. shenzhenensis is now recognized as a new pathogen that causes severe damage to anthurium. Commercial fields of anthurium infected by P. shenzhenensis present a patchy distribution of plants that are usually stunted and in decline and have yellowing leaves. Roots that are heavily infected by this nematode present brown, dark-brown, or black rot, and the entire root mass is often destroyed. In this study, a method of culturing P. shenzhenensis on carrot disks was established, and the effects of temperature and time on the reproduction rate (Rr = final number of nematodes/initial number of nematodes) of this nematode were assessed. The optimum temperature for culturing P. shenzhenensis on carrot disks is 25°C and, after inoculation with 20 females and 10 males at 25°C for 10 weeks, Rr reached 3,834. At the optimum temperature, a suitable extension culture time or an increase in initial inoculum density will improve the reproductive efficiency of P. shenzhenensis. Koch’s postulates were fulfilled by inoculating P. shenzhenensis on the roots of anthurium and demonstrating the pathogenicity of the nematode. Histological analyses showed that P. shenzhenensis feed endoparasitically on the roots of anthurium; whole nematode bodies were observed in the outermost epidermal cells and root hairs, and the cell walls and middle lamellae were partially dissolved because of nematode migration and feeding.
Infection and Gene Expression of the Clubroot Pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae in Resistant and Susceptible Canola Cultivars
Authors: Fei Weixin , Feng Jie , Rong Songbai , Strelkov Stephen E. , Gao Zhimou , Hwang Sheau-Fang
Published: December 2015

Infection by the clubroot pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae on resistant and susceptible canola cultivars was investigated at various times following inoculation. Primary infection occurred on more than 90% of root hairs in both cultivars at 7 days after inoculation (dai), and thereafter declined to less than 20% at 14 to 35 dai. The amount of primary infection on the two cultivars was similar at each time point. Secondary infections were rare in both cultivars at 5 and 7 dai but became common after 14 dai. At 14 to 28 dai, the level of secondary infection was greater in the resistant cultivar than in the susceptible one. The in planta expression of 12 selected P. brassicae genes was investigated by reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. All genes were upregulated at 5 or 7 dai in the resistant cultivar. In the susceptible cultivar, the 12 genes could be classified into three groups according to their expression patterns: 2 genes showed an expression peak at 14 dai, 3 showed two expression peaks at 14 and 35 dai, and the others showed an expression peak at 35 dai. Results from this study will be useful in breeding for resistance and in selecting candidate pathogenicity genes for further studies.
The Role of Pest Control Advisers in Preventative Management of Grapevine Trunk Diseases
Authors: Hillis Vicken , Lubell Mark , Kaplan Jonathan , Doll David , Baumgartner Kendra
Published: December 2015

Vineyards with trunk diseases (Botryosphaeria dieback, Esca, Eutypa dieback, and Phomopsis dieback) can have negative returns in the long run. Minimizing economic impacts depends on effective management, but adopting a preventative practice after infection occurs may not improve yields. Pest control advisers may reduce grower uncertainty about the efficacy of and need for prevention, which often entails future and unobservable benefits. Here, we surveyed advisers in California to examine their influence over grower decision-making, in the context of trunk diseases, which significantly limit grape production and for which curative practices are unavailable. Our online survey revealed adviser awareness of high disease incidence, and reduced yields and vineyard lifespan. Advisers rated both preventative and postinfection practices positively. Despite higher cost estimates given to postinfection practices, advisers did not recommend preventative practices at higher rates. High recommendation rates were instead correlated with high disease incidence for both preventative and postinfection practices. Recommendation rates declined with increasing cost for preventative, but not for postinfection, practices. Our findings suggest that even when advisers acknowledge the risks of trunk diseases, they may not recommend preventative practices before infection occurs. This underscores the importance of clear outreach, emphasizing both the need for prevention and its long-term cost efficacy.
Delayed Wound Dehiscence of Anterior Knee Incisions in Patients Aged 20 Years and Younger: A Comparison of Subcutaneous Skin Closure
Authors: Salib Christopher G. , Smith June C. , Siow Nicholas , Luhmann Scott J.
Published: December 2015

Background:

Delayed wound dehiscence (DWD) typically occurs 2 to 7 weeks postoperatively and is characterized by wound gapping and drainage at a surgical site which has initial normal wound healing. This wound problem clinically mimics deep surgical site infection and, after eventual skin healing, leaves a cosmetically unattractive widened, atrophic surgical scar.

Methods:

A single-center, retrospective analysis was completed of 252 knees, over a 13-year period, in 194 patients (average age, 14.9 y) undergoing patellar realignment surgery. All knees in this study were treated through an anterior midline knee incision from mid-patella to the tibial tubercle. At wound closure either a 2-0 polyglactin 910 (Vicryl) group (V) or polydioxane (PDS) group (P) suture was used for subcutaneous reapproximation and then the skin was closed with a 4-0 subcuticular Poliglecaprone 25 and IRGACARE (Monocryl) suture. Wound complications were recorded and analyzed by subcutaneous suture type, severity, size of involvement, duration, and treatment type.

Results:

Of the 252 knees, there were 132 knees in the V group and 120 in the P group. A total of 195 surgeries were primary surgeries and 57 knees were through previous surgical scars. Eleven patients had surgeries in which 1 knee was in each study group. Overall there were 6.1% (8/132) of the V group and 1.7% (2/120) of the P group with DWD (P=0.11); hence there was a trend toward more DWD with Vicryl than PDS, but this did not meet statistical significance. Mean time to resolution of wound dehiscence was 26 days for V group and 46 days for the P group. The length of incision was demonstrated to be a statistically significant independent risk factor for the development of DWD, irrespective of suture type.

Conclusions:

The frequency of DWD in anterior knee incisions in our study population was 6.1% in the polyglactin 910 (Vicryl) group and 1.7% in the polydioxane (PDS) group. Although this analysis did not achieve statistical significance, a 3.5 times decrease in DWD when PDS was used is considered by the authors to be clinically significant. The authors have definitively switched from Vicryl to PDS for the subcutaneous skin closure at the knee in patients aged 20 years and younger in the push to make wound complications a nonevent.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV.
Tension-Band Ankle Arthrodesis: An Update
Authors: Sagherian Bernard H. , Patterson Jason A. , Chivers F. Spencer , Kile Todd A. , Barker Lloyd G. , Probst Nicholas E. , Claridge Richard J.
Published: December 2015

Ankle arthrodesis remains the gold standard for the treatment of end-stage ankle arthritis, despite the significant improvement in the clinical outcomes of total ankle arthroplasty because of newer designs. Posttraumatic degeneration is the most common cause of ankle arthritis. Other causes include infection, systemic arthritides, and avascular necrosis. Many tibiotalar arthrodesis techniques have been described with varying fusion and complication rates. This paper describes a reliable and reproducible technique of ankle arthrodesis based on the tension-band technique and modern internal fixation principles. This technique results in very high fusion rates with few complications.

Level of Evidence: Diagnostic Level 4. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
4-Phenylbutyrate Benefits Traumatic Hemorrhagic Shock in Rats by Attenuating Oxidative Stress, Not by Attenuating Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress
Authors: Yang Guangming , Peng Xiaoyong , Hu Yi , Lan Dan , Wu Yue , Li Tao , Liu Liangming
Published: December 2015

Objective:

Vascular dysfunction such as vascular hyporeactivity following severe trauma and shock is a major cause of death in injured patients. Oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress play an important role in vascular dysfunction. The objective of the present study was to determine whether or not 4-phenylbutyrate can improve vascular dysfunction and elicit antishock effects by inhibiting oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Design:

Prospective, randomized, controlled laboratory experiment.

Setting:

State key laboratory of trauma, burns, and combined injury.

Subjects:

Five hundred and fifty-two Sprague-Dawley rats.

Interventions:

Rats were anesthetized, and a model of traumatic hemorrhagic shock was established by left femur fracture and hemorrhage. The effects of 4-phenylbutyrate (5, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg) on vascular reactivity, animal survival, hemodynamics, and vital organ function in traumatic hemorrhagic shock rats and cultured vascular smooth muscle cells, and the relationship to oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress was observed.

Measurements and Main Results:

Lower doses of 4-phenylbutyrate significantly improved the vascular function, stabilized the hemodynamics, and increased the tissue blood flow and vital organ function in traumatic hemorrhagic shock rats, and markedly improved the survival outcomes. Among all dosages observed in the present study, 20 mg/kg of 4-phenylbutyrate had the best effect. Further results indicated that 4-phenylbutyrate significantly inhibited the oxidative stress, decreased shock-induced oxidative stress index such as the production of reactive oxygen species, increased the antioxidant enzyme levels such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione, and improved the mitochondrial function by inhibiting the opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore in rat artery and vascular smooth muscle cells. In contrast, 4-phenylbutyrate did not affect the changes of endoplasmic reticulum stress markers following traumatic hemorrhagic shock. Furthermore, 4-phenylbutyrate increased the nuclear levels of nuclear factor-E2–related factor 2, and decreased the nuclear levels of nuclear factor κB in hypoxic vascular smooth muscle cells.

Conclusions:

4-phenylbutyrate has beneficial effects for traumatic hemorrhagic shock including improving animal survival and protecting organ function. These beneficial effects of 4-phenylbutyrate in traumatic hemorrhagic shock result from its vascular function protection via attenuation of the oxidative stress and mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening. Nuclear factor-E2–related factor 2 and nuclear factor-κB may be involved in 4-phenylbutyrate-mediated inhibition of oxidative stress.
Reversal of Acute Kidney Injury–Induced Neutrophil Dysfunction: A Critical Role for Resistin*
Authors: Singbartl Kai , Miller Lauren , Ruiz-Velasco Victor , Kellum John A.
Published: December 2015

Objectives:

To assess the reversibility of acute kidney injury–induced neutrophil dysfunction and to identify involved mechanisms.

Design:

Controlled laboratory experiment and prospective observational clinical study.

Setting:

University laboratory and hospital.

Subjects:

C57BL/6 wild-type mice.

Patients:

Patients with septic shock with or without acute kidney injury.

Interventions:

Murine acute kidney injury was induced by intraperitoneal injections of folic acid (nephrotoxic acute kidney injury) or by IM injections of glycerol (rhabdomyolysis-induced acute kidney injury). After 24 hours, we incubated isolated neutrophils for 3 hours in normal mouse serum or minimum essential medium buffer. We further studied the effects of plasma samples from 13 patients with septic shock (with or without severe acute kidney injury) on neutrophilic-differentiated NB4 cells.

Measurements and Main Results:

Experimental acute kidney injury significantly inhibited neutrophil migration and intracellular actin polymerization. Plasma levels of resistin, a proinflammatory cytokine and uremic toxin, were significantly elevated during both forms of acute kidney injury. Incubation in serum or minimum essential medium buffer restored normal neutrophil function. Resistin by itself was able to induce acute kidney injury–like neutrophil dysfunction in vitro. Plasma resistin was significantly higher in patients with septic shock with acute kidney injury compared with patients with septic shock alone. Compared with plasma from patients with septic shock, plasma from patients with septic shock and acute kidney injury inhibited neutrophilic-differentiated NB4 cell migration. Even after 4 days of renal replacement therapy, plasma from patients with septic shock plus acute kidney injury still showed elevated resistin levels and inhibited neutrophilic-differentiated NB4 cell migration. Resistin inhibited neutrophilic-differentiated NB4 cell migration and intracellular actin polymerization at concentrations seen during acute kidney injury, but not at normal physiologic concentrations.

Conclusions:

Acute kidney injury–induced neutrophil dysfunction is reversible in vitro. However, standard renal replacement therapy does not correct this defect in patients with septic shock and acute kidney injury. Resistin is greatly elevated during acute kidney injury, even with ongoing renal replacement therapy, and is sufficient to cause acute kidney injury–like neutrophil dysfunction by itself.
From Pediatrics to Geriatrics: Toward a Unified Standardized Screening Tool for Delirium: A Thought Experiment
Authors: Schieveld Jan N. M. , van Zwieten Jurjen J.
Published: December 2015

Objective:

We aim to provide evidence for our view that a single, standardized (and preferably observational) screening tool for delirium should be used in patients of all ages (children, adults, and the elderly).

Data Sources:

To support our viewpoint, we searched, in the period February 25, 2015, to August 5, 2015, Pubmed and all the major textbooks.

Study Selection:

We searched PubMed using the following terms: “delirium,” “screening tool,” “pediatric,” “adult,” “elderly,” “unifying,” “observational,” “CAPD,” and “DOS.” We used these terms in various combinations.

Data Extraction:

Abstracts were reviewed for relevance and applicability. Studies were selected by discussion between the two authors.

Data Synthesis:

After a comprehensive literature review, conclusions were drawn based on the strength of evidence and the most current understanding of delirium screening practices.

Conclusions:

The proposed screening tools (Cornell Assessment of Pediatric Delirium and Delirium Observation Screening) entail all main diagnostic criteria, and so they are conceptually valid translations of delirium into operational terms. Given the much greater overlap than difference in this neuropsychiatric context of critical illness between children on the one hand and adults and elderly on the other, we propose that these tools would be ideal as the unified standardized screening tool.
Smartphone Technology and Text Messaging for Weight Loss in Young Adults
Authors: Stephens Janna D. , Yager Allison M. , Allen Jerilyn
Published: December 2015

Background:

Using smartphone technology and text messaging for health is a growing field. This type of technology is well integrated into the lives of young adults. However, few studies have tested the effect of this type of technology to promote weight loss in young adults

Objective:

The purpose of this study is to test the effectiveness of a behaviorally based smartphone application for weight loss combined with text messaging from a health coach on weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference in young adults as compared with a control condition.

Methods:

Sixty-two young adults, aged 18 to 25 years, were randomized to receive (1) a smartphone application + health coach intervention and counseling sessions or (2) control condition with a counseling session. All outcome measures were tested at baseline and 3 months. These included weight, BMI, waist circumference, dietary habits, physical activity habits, and self-efficacy for healthy eating and physical activity.

Results:

The sample was 71% female and 39% white, with an average age of 20 years and average BMI of 28.5 kg/m2. Participants in the smartphone + health coach group lost significantly more weight (P = .026) and had a significant reduction in both BMI (P = .024) and waist circumference (P < .01) compared with controls.

Conclusions:

The results of this weight loss trial support the use of smartphone technology and feedback from a health coach on improving weight in a group of diverse young adults.
Effectiveness of Chinese Hand Massage on Anxiety Among Patients Awaiting Coronary Angiography
Authors: Mei Lijuan , Miao Xing , Chen Haiying , Huang Xiufang , Zheng Guohua
Published: December 2015

Background:

Anxiety is the most common negative emotion among the patients awaiting coronary angiography. The increased anxiety may exacerbate coronary heart disease symptoms and possibly contribute to complications during the procedure. Chinese hand massage is a nonpharmaceutical intervention that has been used in several clinical situations in China and might have beneficial effects on reducing anxiety before coronary angiography.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Chinese hand massage care on anxiety among patients awaiting coronary angiography.

Methods:

One hundred eighty-five subjects awaiting coronary angiography in a single hospital in Fuzhou, China, between May 2012 and September 2012 were screened. One hundred eligible participants were recruited and randomly assigned into the control or Chinese hand massage group. The control group received the conventional therapies and care according to the guidelines, and those in the Chinese hand massage group received additional Chinese hand massage care in conjunction with the same conventional therapies and care as the control group. The anxiety scores (evaluated by using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale), heart rate, blood pressure, quality of life (Short-Form Health Survey), and the adverse events were recorded at the baseline and after coronary angiography, respectively.

Results:

The scores of Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale in the Chinese hand massage group (11.78 [SD, 2.9]) had a statistically significant decrease compared with those in the control group (15.96 [SD, 3.4]) at post-procedure (P < .01). There was no statistically significant difference on blood pressure, heart rate, and Short-Form Health Survey at postangiography between the Chinese hand massage group and the control group. No adverse event was reported during the intervention period.

Conclusions

Chinese hand massage effectively alleviated anxiety without any adverse effects among patients awaiting coronary angiography. Therefore, it might be recommended as a nonpharmacological nursing intervention. However, future study with a larger sample size is needed to further confirm the efficacy of Chinese hand massage intervention.
Decision Making Among Persons Living With Heart Failure
Authors: Xu Jiayun , Abshire Martha , Han Hae-Ra
Published: December 2015

Background:

Persons with heart failure (HF) are required to make decisions on a daily basis related to their declining health and make urgent decisions during acute illness exacerbations. However, little is known about the types of decisions patients make.

Objective:

The aims of this study were to critically evaluate the current quantitative literature related to decision making among persons with HF and identify research gaps in HF decision-making research.

Methods:

A systematic search of literature about decisions persons with HF make was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, and PsychINFO databases. The following inclusion criteria were used: sample composed of at least 50% HF participants, concrete decisions were made, and a quantitative study design was used. Two authors performed title, abstract, and full-text reviews independently to identify eligible articles.

Results:

Twelve quantitative articles were included. Study samples were predominately older, white, male, and married. Two-thirds of the articles focused on decisions related to the end-of-life topics (ie, resuscitation decisions, advanced care planning). The other one-third focused on decisions about care seeking, participant’s involvement in treatment decisions during their last clinic visit, and self-care behaviors.

Conclusions:

Within the HF literature, the term decision is often ill-defined or not defined. Limitations in methodological rigor limit definitive conclusions about HF decision making. Future studies should consider strengthening study rigor and examining other decision topics such as inclusion of family in making decisions as HF progresses. Research rigorously examining HF decision making is needed to develop interventions to support persons with HF.
The Effect of Serum Vitamin D on Serum ALT Levels in Healthy Individuals
Authors: Shehata Elaine , Qayyum Rehan
Published: December 2015

Background:

Several studies have examined the relationship between vitamin D (VD) and liver disease but none have explored this relationship in adults with normal liver enzymes. Our aim was to explore an independent association of VD with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in a large sample of the US adults with liver enzymes in normal range (≤39 U/L).

Methods:

We used the continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2001 to 2006. We excluded individuals with serum ALT>39 U/L. We built linear regression models to estimate unadjusted and adjusted (age, sex, race, diabetes, hypertension, alcohol use, smoking, and body mass index) effect sizes, taking into account the complex probability survey design.

Results:

Of the 12,155 participants, 6635 (54.6%) were women, mean±SD age was 49.9±19.4 years, VD was 21.9±9.2 ng/mL, and ALT was 20.9±6.9 U/L. In unadjusted analysis, VD was significantly associated with serum ALT (0.02 U/L/ng/mL of VD, P=0.007). After adjustment for confounders, VD remained statistically significantly associated with serum ALT levels (0.04 U/L, P<0.001). Similarly, individuals in the highest quartile of VD had significantly higher serum levels of ALT than those in the lowest quartile (unadjusted difference=0.98 U/L, P<0.001; adjusted difference=1.21 U/L, P<0.001).

Conclusions:

We found a positive association between VD and ALT after excluding individuals with suspected active liver injury (ALT>39 U/L). The underlying mechanisms for this association are not known and needs further study.
Detection and Polarization of Introgression in a Five-taxon Phylogeny
Authors: Pease James B , Hahn Matthew W.
Published: December 2015

In clades of closely related taxa, discordant genealogies due to incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) can complicate the detection of introgression. TheD-statistic (a.k.a. the ABBA/BABA test) was proposed to infer introgression in the presence of ILS for a four-taxon clade. However, the originalD-statistic cannot be directly applied to a symmetric five-taxon phylogeny, and the direction of introgression cannot be inferred for any tree topology. Here we explore the issues associated with previous methods for adapting theD-statistic to a larger tree topology, and propose new DFOIL tests to infer both the taxa involved in and the direction of introgressions for a symmetric five-taxon phylogeny. Using theory and simulations, we find that previous modifications of theD-statistic to five-taxon phylogenies incorrectly identify both the pairs of taxa exchanging migrants as well as the direction of introgression. TheDFOILstatistics are shown to overcome this deficiency and to correctly determine the direction of introgressions. TheDFOILtests are relatively simple and computationally inexpensive to calculate, and can be easily applied to various phylogenomic datasets. In addition, our general approach to the problem of introgression detection could be adapted to larger tree topologies and other models of sequence evolution.
Coalescent times and patterns of genetic diversity in species with facultative sex: effects of gene conversion, population structure and heterogeneity
Authors: Hartfield Matthew , Wright Stephen I. , Agrawal Aneil F.
Published: December 2015

Many diploid organisms undergo facultative sexual reproduction. However, little is currently known concerning the distribution of neutral genetic variation amongst facultative sexuals except in very simple cases. Under-standing this distribution is important when making inferences about rates of sexual reproduction, effective population size and demographic history. Here, we extend coalescent theory in diploids with facultative sex to consider gene conversion, selfing, population subdivision, and temporal and spatial heterogeneity in rates of sex. In addition to analytical results for two-sample coalescent times, we outline a coalescent algorithm that accommodates the complexities arising from partial sex; this algorithm can be used to generate multi-sample coalescent distributions. A key result is that when sex is rare, gene conversion becomes a significant force in reducing diversity within individuals, which can remove genomic signatures of infrequent sex (the ‘Meselson Effect’) or entirely reverse the predictions. Our models offer improved methods for assessing the null model (I.e. neutrality) of patterns of molecular variation in facultative sexuals.
Bringing Down Cancer Aircraft: Searching For Essential Hypomutated Proteins In Skin Melanoma
Authors: Pyatnitskiy Mikhail , Karpov Dmitriy , Poverennaya Ekaterina , Lisitsa Andrey , Moshkovskii Sergei
Published: December 2015

Abstract

Background

We propose an approach to detection of essential proteins required for cancer cell survival. Gene is considered essential if mutation with high functional impact upon function of encoded protein causes death of cancer cell. We draw an analogy between essential cancer proteins and well-known Abraham Wald’s work on estimating the plane critical areas using data on survivability of aircraft encountering enemy fire. Wald reasoned that parts hit least on the returned planes are critical and should be protected more. Similarly we propose that genes essential for tumor cell should carry less high-impact mutations in cancer compared to polymorphisms found in normal cells.

Results

We used data on mutations from the Cancer Genome Atlas and polymorphisms found in healthy humans (from 1000 Genomes Project) to predict 91 protein-coding genes essential for melanoma. These genes were selected according to several criteria including negative selection, expression in melanocytes and decrease in the proportion of high-impact mutations in cancer compared with normal cells.

Gene ontology analysis revealed enrichment of essential proteins related to membrane and cell periphery. We speculate that this could be a sign of immune system-driven negative selection of cancer neo-antigens. Another finding is overrepresentation of semaphorin receptors, which can mediate distinctive signaling cascades and are involved in various aspects of tumor development. Cytokine receptors CCR5 and CXCR1 were also identified as cancer essential proteins and this is confirmed by other studies.

Conclusions

Overall our goal was to illustrate the idea of detecting proteins whose sequence integrity and functioning is important for cancer cell survival. Hopefully, this prediction of essential cancer proteins may point to new targets for anti-tumor therapies.
Could rare amino acids regulate enzymes abundance?
Authors: Agoni Valentina
Published: December 2015

The number of every enzyme is the result of many mechanisms of regulation, at transcriptional and translational levels. We asked if the presence of rare amino acids in the sequence of an enzyme could represent a limiting factor in the balance between enzymes synthesis and enzymes efficiency. To try to find a correlation we analyzed the amino acids sequences of different housekeeping and metabolic enzymes.