bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Causal path analyses of the association of protein intake with risk of mortality and graft failure in renal transplant recipients
Authors: Said M. Yusof , Deetman Petronella E. , de Vries Aiko P. J. , Zelle Dorien M. , Gans Rijk O. B. , Navis Gerjan , Joosten Michel M. , Bakker Stephan J. L.
Published: March 2015

The effect of a low protein intake on survival in renal transplant recipients (RTR) is unknown. A low protein intake may increase risks of malnutrition, low muscle mass, and death. We aimed to study associations of protein intake with mortality and graft failure and to identify potential intermediate factors. Protein intake was estimated from 24‐h urinary urea excretion (24‐h UUE). Graft failure was defined as return to dialysis or retransplantation. We used Cox regression analyses to analyze associations with outcome and potential intermediate factors in the causal path. In 604 RTR, mean ± SD 24‐h UUE was 380 ± 114 mmol/24‐h. During median follow‐up for 7.0 yr (interquartile range: 6.2–7.5 yr), 133 RTR died and 53 developed graft failure. In univariate analyses, 24‐h UUE was associated with lower risk of mortality (HR [95% CI] = 0.80 [0.69–0.94]) and graft failure (HR [95% CI] = 0.72 [0.56–0.92]). These associations were independent of potential confounders. In causal path analyses, the association of 24‐h UUE with mortality disappeared after adjustment for muscle mass. Low protein intake is associated with increased risk of mortality and graft failure in RTR. Causal path analyses reveal that the association with mortality is explained by low muscle mass. These findings suggest that protein intake restriction should not be advised to RTR.
Donor kidney microthrombi and outcomes of kidney transplant: a single‐center experience
Authors: Sood Puneet , Randhawa Parmjeet S. , Mehta Rajil , Hariharan Sundaram , Tevar Amit D.
Published: March 2015

The kidney wait list has outgrown the supply of available organs every year. Efforts are being made to minimize discard rate of organs. One such area is the use of kidneys with glomerular microthrombi (MT). We retrospectively examined graft/patient outcomes in 28 cases with MT in pre‐implantation biopsies. All patients had follow‐up of at least 36 months, or until graft loss or death. In total, 17 of the 18 patients who underwent follow‐up biopsy within 90 days of transplantation had cleared all MT. Most patients had excellent long‐term graft function. On a closer review of the biopsies included in our study, we found that even in the organs with the most widespread thrombosis, the median percentage of glomeruli with more than 50 percentage of the capillary loops occluded was 8% (range 0–17%). The current practice of mentioning the % of glomeruli with thrombi cannot adequately capture the extent of donor organ pathology, as the actual % glomerular area involved can vary greatly from case to case. Future studies should attempt to quantify donor thrombi by a more robust method and revisit the issue of using clinico‐pathologic parameters to predict allograft function in the setting of MT.
In ovo gene manipulation of melanocytes and their adjacent keratinocytes during skin pigmentation of chicken embryos
Authors: Murai Hidetaka , Tadokoro Ryosuke , Sakai Ken‐Ichiro , Takahashi Yoshiko
Published: March 2015

During skin pigmentation in avians and mammalians, melanin is synthesized in the melanocytes, and subsequently transferred to adjacently located keratinocytes, leading to a wide coverage of the body surface by melanin‐containing cells. The behavior of melanocytes is influenced by keratinocytes shown mostly by in vitro studies. However, it has poorly been investigated how such intercellular cross‐talk is regulated in vivo because of a lack of suitable experimental models. Using chicken embryos, we developed a method that enables in vivo gene manipulations of melanocytes and keratinocytes, where these cells are separately labeled by different genes. Two types of gene transfer techniques were combined: one was a retrovirus‐mediated gene infection into the skin/keratinocytes, and the other was the in ovo DNA electroporation into neural crest cells, the origin of melanocytes. Since the Replication‐Competent Avian sarcoma‐leukosis virus long terminal repeat with Splice acceptor (RCAS) infection was available only for the White leghorn strain showing little pigmentation, melanocytes prepared from the Hypeco nera (pigmented) were back‐transplanted into embryos of White leghorn. Prior to the transplantation, enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)+Neor+‐electroporated melanocytes from Hypeco nera were selectively grown in G418‐supplemented medium. In the skin of recipient White leghorn embryos infected with RCAS‐mOrange, mOrange+ keratinocytes and transplanted EGFP+ melanocytes were frequently juxtaposed each other. High‐resolution confocal microscopy also revealed that transplanted melanocytes exhibited normal behaviors regarding distribution patterns of melanocytes, dendrite morphology, and melanosome transfer. The method described in this study will serve as a useful tool to understand the mechanisms underlying intercellular regulations during skin pigmentation in vivo.
Postponing Passage: Doorways, Distinctions, and the Thresholds of Personhood among Older Chicagoans
Authors: Buch Elana D.
Published: March 2015

This article analyzes the quotidian ways that older Chicagoans remade and traversed physical boundaries between their homes and the city beyond. In so doing, it explores how changing engagements with the environment impact social personhood in later life. In a context in which personhood is equated with independence, elders relying on paid care workers to remain in their homes found themselves at the threshold of social death. To sustain their independence and personhood, older Chicagoans sought to prevent spatial and social transitions using a range of everyday tactics and material practices located around the doorways of their homes. These liminal practices simultaneously reasserted racial, class, and other social distinctions between elders, home care workers and others, helping elders continue to occupy familiar subject positions. For these older adults, homes and their thresholds became resources with which they resisted profound changes to their daily lives, subjectivities, and social personhood.
Laparoscopic‐assisted tube cystotomy for urethral rupture in a foal
Authors: Oreff G. L. , Tatz A. J. , Ranen E. , Dahan R. , Kelmer G.
Published: March 2015

A 10‐day‐old Tennessee Walking Horse colt was hospitalised due to a pelvic urethral tear. After 2 unsuccessful attempts to repair the tear by primary closure, the colt underwent perineal urethroplasty and laparoscopic‐assisted tube cystotomy which permitted complete urine diversion and allowed the urethral tear to heal completely.
Family Structure, Academic Characteristics, and Postsecondary Education
Authors: Wu Zheng , Schimmele Christoph M. , Hou Feng
Published: March 2015

This study investigates the reasons for the gaps in educational attainment between children from married biological parents and alternative families. Socioeconomic resources and parental behaviors are well‐established reasons, but these factors do not explain the entire relationship between family structure and educational outcomes. We argue that these parental‐level factors influence children's academic socialization and thus indirectly contribute to differential educational outcomes. Hence, this study considers whether children's academic characteristics are a complementary explanation for the effect of family structure on education. The logistic regression analysis demonstrates that these characteristics represent an important explanation for the lower educational attainment of children from alternative families. The decomposition analysis shows that academic characteristics are the predominant reason for the gaps in postsecondary educational attainment between children from married biological parents and alternative families. These characteristics account for a relatively higher proportion of these gaps than the combined direct effects of parental socioeconomic status and parental behaviors.
Links between Adolescents' Closeness to Adoptive Parents and Attachment Style in Young Adulthood
Authors: Grant‐Marsney Holly A. , Grotevant Harold D. , Sayer Aline G.
Published: March 2015

This study examined whether adolescents' closeness to adoptive parents (APs) predicted attachment styles in close relationships outside their family during young adulthood. In a longitudinal study of domestic infant adoptions, closeness to adoptive mother and adoptive father was assessed in 156 adolescents (M = 15.7 years). Approximately 9 years later (M = 25.0 years), closeness to parents was assessed again as well as attachment style in their close relationships. Multilevel modeling was used to predict attachment style in young adulthood from the average and discrepancy of closeness to adolescents' adoptive mothers and fathers and the change over time in closeness to APs. Less avoidant attachment style was predicted by stronger closeness to both APs during adolescence. Increased closeness to APs over time was related to less anxiety in close relationships. Higher closeness over time to either AP was related to less avoidance and anxiety in close relationships.
Parental Behaviors and Beliefs, Child Temperament, and Attachment Disorganization
Authors: Wang Feihong , Cox Martha J. , Mills‐Koonce Roger , Snyder Patricia
Published: March 2015

This research examined alternative mechanisms in the etiology of attachment disorganization. The authors hypothesized that negative intrusive parenting would significantly predict children's attachment disorganization at age 12 months within a diverse community sample. Of more substantial interest, the authors tested moderational mechanisms in the association between negative intrusive parenting, parental strong belief in discipline and control, child difficult temperament, and children's attachment disorganization. Using a multiple regression analytic approach, this research found that negative intrusive parenting significantly predicted children's attachment disorganization. This prediction was more significantly related to children's levels of attachment disorganization when it was paired with stronger rather than weaker parental beliefs in discipline and control. In contrast, when children had difficult temperament at 6 months, it was only when parents held very weak beliefs in discipline and control that children were at higher risk for attachment disorganization. Implications of the findings were discussed accordingly.
Crystal structure of LptH, the periplasmic component of the lipopolysaccharide transport machinery from Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Bollati Michela , Villa Riccardo , Gourlay Louise J. , Benedet Mattia , Dehò Gianni , Polissi Alessandra , Barbiroli Alberto , Martorana Alessandra M. , Sperandeo Paola , Bolognesi Martino , Nardini Marco
Published: March 2015

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is the main glycolipid present in the outer leaflet of the outer membrane (OM) of Gram‐negative bacteria, where it modulates OM permeability, therefore preventing many toxic compounds from entering the cell. LPS biogenesis is an essential process in Gram‐negative bacteria and thus is an ideal target pathway for the development of novel specific antimicrobials. The lipopolysaccharide transport (Lpt) system is responsible for transporting LPS from the periplasmic surface of the inner membrane, where it is assembled, to the cell surface where it is then inserted in the OM. The Lpt system has been widely studied in Escherichia coli, where it consists of seven essential proteins located in the inner membrane (LptBCFG), in the periplasm (LptA) and in the OM (LptDE). In the present study, we focus our attention on the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 Lpt system. We identified an LptA orthologue, named LptH, and solved its crystal structure at a resolution of 2.75 Å. Using interspecies complementation and site‐directed mutagenesis of a conserved glycine residue, we demonstrate that P. aeruginosa LptH is the genetic and functional homologue of E. coli LptA, with whom it shares the β‐jellyroll fold identified also in other members of the canonical E. coli Lpt model system. Furthermore, we modeled the N‐terminal β‐jellyroll domain of P. aeruginosa LptD, based on the crystal structure of its homologue from Shigella flexneri, aiming to provide more general insight into the mechanism of LPS binding and transport in P. aeruginosa. Both LptH and LptD may represent new targets for the discovery of next generation antibacterial drugs, targeting specific opportunistic pathogens such as P. aeruginosa.

Database

Coordinates and structure factors have been deposited in the Protein Data Bank under accession number PDB 4uu4.
Secondary Buyouts: Operating Performance and Investment Determinants
Authors: Bonini Stefano
Published: March 2015

Secondary buyouts (SBOs) now represent over 60% of the overall buyout activity. In this paper, I investigate the possible determinants of such spectacular growth. I find that first round buyers generate a large and significant abnormal improvement in operating performance. In contrast, SBO operating growth is not different from that of its peer group. Returns to secondary private equity (PE) investors are positive, but significantly lower than those of first round buyers. I examine several alternative drivers of SBOs and find that favorable credit market conditions and PE reputation drive secondary investment volume.
Plasticity Region Genes jhp0940, jhp0945, jhp0947, and jhp0949 of Helicobacter pylori in Isolates from Mexican Children
Authors: Romo‐González Carolina , Consuelo‐Sánchez Alejandra , Camorlinga‐Ponce Margarita , Velázquez‐Guadarrama Norma , García‐Zúñiga Magdalena , Burgueño‐Ferreira Juan , Coria‐Jiménez Rafael
Published: March 2015

Background

The genes jhp0940, jhp0945, jhp0947, and jhp0949 belong to the plasticity region of the Helicobacter pylori genome. Due to their prevalence in isolates from patients with gastritis, duodenal ulcer, and gastric cancer, they have been proposed as markers of gastroduodenal diseases. These genes are associated with pro‐inflammatory cytokine induction through the NF‐κB activation pathway. Nevertheless, the status of these genes is unknown in H. pylori isolates from children. The aim of the present work was to determine the frequency of the jhp0940‐jhp0945‐jhp0947‐jhp0949 genes in H. pylori isolates from children.

Materials and Methods

We identified the jhp0940, jhp0945, jhp0947, and jhp0949 genes and the relationship of each with the virulence factors cagA, cagPAI, and dupA by PCR in 49 isolates of H. pylori from children. The results were corroborated using dot blots. In addition, we compared the prevalence of these genes with the prevalence in adults.

Results

The prevalence of jhp0940 (53.1%), jhp0945 (44.9%), jhp0947 (77.6%), and jhp0949 (83.7%) was determined in the isolates from children, as was the prevalence of the virulence genes cagA (63.3%), cagPAI (71.4%), and dupA (37.5%). No association was found between the four genes of the plasticity region and the virulence genes. The presence of the intact locus integrated by jhp0940‐jhp0945‐jhp0947‐jhp0949 was very common among the isolates from children.

Conclusion

The genes jhp0940, jhp0947, and jhp0949 were present in more than 50% of the H. pylori isolates, and the joint presence of jhp0940‐jhp0945‐jhp0947‐jhp0949 was very frequent. The frequency of these genes in isolates from children could contribute to the virulence of H. pylori and the evolution of the infection.
Helicobacter pylori Might Induce TGF‐β1‐Mediated EMT by Means of cagE
Authors: Chang Hyun , Kim Nayoung , Park Ji Hyun , Nam Ryoung Hee , Choi Yoon Jeong , Park Seon Mee , Choi Yoon Jin , Yoon Hyuk , Shin Cheol Min , Lee Dong Ho
Published: March 2015

Background

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), in which polarized epithelial cells have mesenchymal cell phenotypes, is thought to be a key process of invasion and metastasis of cancer. Transforming growth factor beta‐1 (TGF‐β1) is known to be carcinogenic and Helicobacter pylori is a predominant carcinogen of gastric cancer. Our study aimed to determine whether TGF‐β1 or H. pylori infection enhances EMT process and cytotoxin‐associated gene E (CagE) is associated with EMT.

Materials and Methods

Human gastric cancer cell AGS and MKN45 were treated with recombinant TGF‐β1 or H. pylori including cagE‐negative (ΔcagE) mutant. Besides the assessment of EMT‐related markers expression levels by means of RT‐qPCR, Western blot, and immunofluorescence assay, the induction of in vitro EMT on gastric cancer cells (AGS and MKN cell lines) was confirmed by wound‐healing assay and invasion assay.

Results

When gastric cancer cells were treated with TGF‐β1 or various strains of cagE‐positive H. pylori, EMT‐related marker altered significantly. However, the ΔcagE mutant did not. Wound‐healing assay and invasion assay showed enhanced migration ability of the cells treated with cagE‐positive H. pylori but not in ΔcagE mutant.

Conclusions

EMT induction in gastric cancer cells by TGF‐β1 was confirmed. Only infection with cagE‐positive H. pylori upregulated the TGF‐β1‐mediated EMT pathway and consequently promotes EMT. Therefore, H. pylori might induce TGF‐β1‐mediated EMT associated with the cagE.
Intracellular Osteopontin Induced by CagA‐positive Helicobacter pylori Promotes Beta‐catenin Accumulation and Interleukin‐8 Secretion in Gastric Epithelial cells
Authors: Chang Wei‐Lun , Yang Hsiao‐Bai , Cheng Hsiu‐Chi , Yeh Yi‐Chun , Kao Cheng‐Yen , Wu Jiunn‐Jong , Lu Cheng‐Chan , Sheu Bor‐Shyang
Published: March 2015

Background

Osteopontin, an important immune modulator and oncogenic promoter, is upregulated in H. pylori‐infected gastric mucosa. However, the underlying mechanisms and biological significance are poorly understood. We investigated whether osteopontin was upregulated in gastric epithelial cells by H. pylori and the virulence factors involved. Moreover, cellular component changes caused by osteopontin were also investigated.

Materials and Methods

The gastric epithelial cell line MKN45 was cocultured with wild‐type and mutant H. pylori to analyze osteopontin expression. Beta‐catenin levels in cell lysate and interleukin‐8 levels in supernatant were analyzed. The difference in osteopontin expression levels in both gastric epithelium and plasma was compared between H. pylori‐infected patients and uninfected controls.

Results

H. pylori induced intracellular, but not secretory, osteopontin expression in MKN45 cells. Accordingly, osteopontin expression intensity in gastric epithelium was higher in H. pylori‐infected patients than in controls, but osteopontin levels in plasma were similar between both patient groups. H. pylori virulence factor CagA delivered via the type IV secretion system was essential for intracellular osteopontin upregulation. H. pylori induced β‐catenin accumulation and interleukin‐8 secretion, whereas osteopontin knockdown completely abrogated these effects, in MKN45 cells. TLR2 antagonist abolished iOPN expression induced by H. pylori gastritis strain, but not by H. pylori cancer strain.

Conclusions

H. pylori is dependent on CagA translocation via the type IV secretion system to induce intracellular osteopontin expression in gastric epithelial cells. Upregulated intracellular osteopontin may promote gastric carcinogenesis via increased β‐catenin accumulation and interleukin‐8 secretion.
Usefulness of specific anti‐desmoglein 1 and 3 enzyme‐linked immunoassay and indirect immunofluorescence in the evaluation of pemphigus activity
Authors: Barnadas Maria A. , Rubiales Mª Victòria , Gich Ignasi , Gelpí Carmen
Published: March 2015

Objective

The objective was to assess the relationship between enzyme‐linked immunoassay (ELISA) values of desmoglein (Dsg) 1 and Dsg3 antibodies and indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) values of anti‐epithelial antibodies with disease activity in patients with pemphigus.

Patients and methods

In a retrospective study, we analyzed 353 serum samples taken from 35 patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and nine with pemphigus foliaceus (PF) during the course of the disease. In each sample, we measured anti‐Dsg1 and anti‐Dsg3 antibodies by ELISA. A receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was calculated to determine a cutoff value for anti‐Dsg1 and anti‐Dsg3 antibodies with optimal sensitivity and specificity. In 263 samples, we compared the ROC curves of anti‐Dsg1 and anti‐Dsg3 antibodies with the ROC curves of the IIF results.

Results

Activity of pemphigus was associated with a wide range of anti‐Dsg1 and anti‐Dsg3 antibody values. Levels of anti‐Dsg1 antibodies showed a better relationship with cutaneous activity of pemphigus than levels of IIF anti‐epithelial antibodies. The levels of IIF anti‐epithelial antibodies showed a relationship with activity of mucosas similar to the levels of anti‐Dsg3 antibodies.

Discussion

Abnormal values of anti‐Dsg antibodies are not always associated with disease activity. ELISA detects both pathogenic and nonpathogenic anti‐Dsg antibodies.

Conclusions

Therapeutic strategies should not be based exclusively on anti‐Dsg antibody values. Anti‐Dsg1 antibodies showed a closer relationship with skin activity than IIF, while anti‐Dsg3 antibodies showed a relationship with mucosal activity similar to the IIF test.
Moral distress among social workers: The role of insufficient resources
Authors: Mänttäri‐van der Kuip Maija
Published: March 2015

The present study examined moral distress among Finnish social workers and the role of perceived resource insufficiencies in explaining it. The aim was to shed light on this understudied phenomenon in the field of social welfare. The study focused on work‐related moral distress, defined as impaired wellbeing that is connected to the continual inability to implement actions that one considers morally appropriate. The survey data were collected with an electronic questionnaire between the years 2011 and 2012. The respondents (n = 817) were social workers in the public social welfare services and the overall response rate was 46.5 per cent. Nearly 11 per cent of the respondents reported experiencing moral distress and perceived resource insufficiencies strongly explained this experience. Moreover, social workers with moral distress reported that they were less willing to continue in their post, were more frequently on sick leave and had positive work‐related experiences less often than their colleagues who did not experience moral distress.

Key Practitioner Message: ● The concept of moral distress is useful in describing the experiences of social welfare workers when they are unable to practise their profession according to their moral code and the emotional burden related to this inability; ● Perceived resource insufficiencies are strongly associated with experiences of moral distress among frontline social workers; ● Social workers experiencing moral distress are less willing to continue in their work, take sick leave more often and less frequently have positive experiences related to their work.
Miocene extensional tectonics explain ancient patterns of diversification among turret‐building tarantulas (Aphonopelma mojave group) in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts
Authors: Graham Matthew R. , Hendrixson Brent E. , Hamilton Chris A. , Bond Jason E.
Published: March 2015

Aim

Phylogeographical studies in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts often find genetic discontinuities that pre‐date the Pleistocene. A recent synthesis of phylogeographical data, called the Mojave Assembly Model, provides a hypothesis for the historical assembly of these desert biotas but does not adequately capture the complexity of pre‐Pleistocene vicariance events. We tested this model and assessed pre‐Pleistocene divergences by exploring the phylogeography of the Aphonopelma mojave group, which is composed of turret‐building tarantula species from the Mojave and Sonoran deserts.

Location

Mojave and Sonoran deserts, south‐western USA.

Methods

We augmented the sampling from a previous study by sequencing mitochondrial DNA (COI) from new material of the A. mojave group. We used phylogenetic and network analyses to identify clades and a molecular clock and lineages‐through‐time plots (LTT plots) to explore the timing and tempo of diversification. We tested for demographic expansion using neutrality tests and mismatch distributions. Species distribution models (SDMs) were constructed to compare current suitable habitat to that at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM).

Results

Phylogenetic, network and molecular‐clock analyses identified six major clades that probably diverged during the late Miocene. The rate of diversification appears to have slowed during the Pliocene. Most clades exhibit signals of recent demographic expansion. SDMs predicted that suitable habitat shifted south and to lower elevations during the LGM.

Main conclusions

Phylogeographical analyses suggest that the A. mojave group experienced a burst of diversification in the late Miocene, followed by population expansions during the Pleistocene. Six major clades with origins in the late Miocene cannot be adequately explained by the Mojave Assembly Model. We propose the novel hypothesis that Miocene extensional tectonics caused populations to diverge in allopatry by producing low‐elevation habitat barriers. Geological models, such as kinematic reconstructions, provide an ideal but underutilized framework for testing biogeographical hypotheses in these deserts and the wider Basin and Range Province.
Current status of glucose, blood pressure and lipid management in type 2 diabetes clinic attendees in Isfahan, Iran
Authors: Janghorbani Mohsen , Papi Bahman , Amini Masoud
Published: March 2015

Aims/Introduction

To estimate the prevalence of meeting American Diabetes Association clinical practice recommendations for hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure (BP) and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) among Iranian type 2 diabetes clinic attendees, and to identify the factors associated with therapeutic target achievement.

Materials and Methods

A total of 2,640 patients with type 2 diabetes (944 men and 1,696 women) from Isfahan Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center outpatient clinics, Iran, were examined. The main outcome measures were HbA1c, BP and LDLC, in accordance with the American Diabetes Association recommendations. The mean (standard deviation) age of participants was 49.6 years (9.3 years) with a mean (standard deviation) duration of diabetes of 5.0 years (4.9 years) at initial registration.

Results

The percentages of patients who had HbA1c <7%, BP <140/90 mmHg and LDLC <100 mg/dL was 37.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 35.6–39.3), 35.3% (95% CI 33.5–37.3) and 48.9% (95% CI 47.0–50.8), respectively. The proportion of patients meeting all three goals was 7.7% (95% CI 6.7–8.8). Lower BP, cholesterol level and higher education at registration, and higher follow up but lower number of follow‐up visits affected achievement of all three goals.

Conclusions

The present study highlights that a substantial proportion of Iranian type 2 diabetes clinic attendees did not meet the American Diabetes Association clinical practice recommendations, and shows the difficult challenges physicians face when treating patients with type 2 diabetes.
The Role of Intervening Illnesses and Injuries in Prolonging the Disabling Process
Authors: Gill Thomas M. , Allore Heather G. , Gahbauer Evelyne A. , Murphy Terrence E.
Published: March 2015

Objectives

To evaluate the relationship between intervening illnesses and injuries leading to hospitalization and restricted activity, respectively, and prolongation of disability in four essential activities of daily living in newly disabled older persons.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

Greater New Haven, Connecticut.

Participants

Community‐living persons aged 70 and older who had at least one episode of disability from March 1998 to June 2013 (N = 632).

Measurements

Disability and exposure to intervening illesses and injuries leading to hospitalization and restricted activity, respectively, were assessed every month. Prolongation of disability was operationalized in two complementary ways: as a dichotomous outcome, based on the persistence of any disability, and as a count of the number of disabled activities.

Results

During a median follow‐up of 114 months, the 632 participants experienced 2,764 disability episodes. The mean exposure rates for hospitalization and restricted activity were 80.7 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 73.7–88.4) and 173.6 (95% CI = 162.5–185.5), respectively, per 1,000 person‐months. After adjustment for multiple disability risk factors, the likelihood of disability prolongation was 2.5 times as great (odds ratio (OR) 2.54, 95% CI = 2.05–3.15) for hospitalization and 1.2 times as great (1.21, 95% CI = 1.06–1.40) for restricted activity as for no hospitalization or restricted activity, and the mean number of disabilities was 35% (risk ratio (RR) = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.30–1.39) greater in the setting of hospitalization and 7% (1.07, 95% CI = 1.05–1.09) greater in the setting of restricted activity.

Conclusion

Intervening illnesses and injuries leading to hospitalization and restricted activity, respectively, are strongly associated with prolongation of disability in newly disabled older adults. Efforts to prevent and more‐aggressively manage these intervening events have the potential to break the cycle of disability in older persons.
Activated expression of AtEDT1/HDG11 promotes lateral root formation in Arabidopsis mutant edt1 by upregulating jasmonate biosynthesis
Authors: Cai Xiao‐Teng , Xu Ping , Wang Yao , Xiang Cheng‐Bin
Published: March 2015

Root architecture is crucial for plants to absorb water and nutrients. We previously reported edt1 (edt1D) mutant with altered root architecture that contributes significantly to drought resistance. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood. Here we report one of the mechanisms underlying EDT1/HDG11‐conferred altered root architecture. Root transcriptome comparison between the wild type and edt1D revealed that the upregulated genes involved in jasmonate biosynthesis and signaling pathway were enriched in edt1D root, which were confirmed by quantitative RT‐PCR. Further analysis showed that EDT1/HDG11, as a transcription factor, bound directly to the HD binding sites in the promoters of AOS, AOC3, OPR3, and OPCL1, which encode four key enzymes in JA biosynthesis. We found that the jasmonic acid level was significantly elevated in edt1D root compared with that in the wild type subsequently. In addition, more auxin accumulation was observed in the lateral root primordium of edt1D compared with that of wild type. Genetic analysis of edt1D opcl1 double mutant also showed that HDG11 was partially dependent on JA in regulating LR formation. Taken together, overexpression of EDT1/HDG11 increases JA level in the root of edt1D by directly upregulating the expressions of several genes encoding JA biosynthesis enzymes to activate auxin signaling and promote lateral root formation.
Overexpression of potato miR482e enhanced plant sensitivity to Verticillium dahliae infection
Authors: Yang Liu , Mu Xiaoying , Liu Chao , Cai Jinghui , Shi Ke , Zhu Wenjiao , Yang Qing
Published: March 2015

Verticillium wilt of potato is caused by the fungus pathogen Verticillium dahliae. Present sRNA sequencing data revealed that miR482 was in response to V. dahliae infection, but the function in potato is elusive. Here, we characterized potato miR482 family and its putative role resistance to Verticillium wilt. Members of the potato miR482 superfamily are variable in sequence, but all variants target a class of disease‐resistance proteins with nucleotide binding site (NBS) and leucine‐rich repeat (LRR) motifs. When potato plantlets were infected with V. dahliae, the expression level of miR482e was downregulated, and that of several NBS‐LRR targets of miR482e were upregulated. Transgenic potato plantlets overexpressing miR482e showed hypersensitivity to V. dahliae infection. Using sRNA and degradome datasets, we validated that miR482e targets mRNAs of NBS‐LRR disease‐resistance proteins and triggers the production of trans‐acting (ta)‐siRNAs, most of which target mRNAs of defense‐related proteins. Thus, the hypersensitivity of transgenic potato could be explained by enhanced miR482e and miR482e‐derived ta‐siRNA‐mediated silencing on NBS‐LRR‐disease‐resistance proteins. It is speculated that a miR482‐mediated silencing cascade mechanism is involved in regulating potato resistance against V. dahliae infection and could be a counter defense action of plant in response to pathogen infection.
Center of Excellence to Build Nursing Scholarship and Improve Health Care in Italy
Authors: Rocco Gennaro , Affonso Dyanne , Mayberry Linda , Sasso Loredana , Stievano Alessandro , Alvaro Rosaria
Published: March 2015

Purpose

This article profiles the establishment and initial phase (2010–2014) of a Center of Excellence (CoE) as an instrument to strengthen nursing scholarship and improve health care in Italy.

Approach

This CoE is unique as a non‐university‐based center. The National Regulatory Board of Registered Nurses, Health Visitors, and Pediatric Nurses (IPASVI) designated substantial administrative and funding support to the CoE for advancing nursing education, clinical practice, research development, and research training. Boyer's Model of Scholarship underpinned the CoE's conceptual framework, and its operational infrastructure was adapted from the U.S. National Institutes of Health P20 program award mechanism. Diverse methods included sponsoring research studies by nurse‐led teams, research training courses, nursing education longitudinal studies, evidence‐based practice training, and related pilot studies.

Findings

Multiple collaborative projects were conducted via the CoE in conjunction with the successful launch of an expansive digital library and communication system accessible to nurses. The introduction of English proficiency courses was also a unique contribution.

Conclusions

The CoE concept is a potential instrument to strengthen nursing scholarship in Italy with potential scalability considerations to other global settings.

Clinical Relevance

An overlapping focus on research, education, and practice under the umbrella of nursing scholarship within a CoE while engaging all levels of nursing is important to impact healthcare changes.
‘Being a conduit’ between hospital and home: stakeholders' views and perceptions of a nurse‐led Palliative Care Discharge Facilitator Service in an acute hospital setting
Authors: Venkatasalu Munikumar Ramasamy , Clarke Amanda , Atkinson Joanne
Published: March 2015

Aims and objectives

To explore and critically examine stakeholders' views and perceptions concerning the nurse‐led Palliative Care Discharge Service in an acute hospital setting and to inform sustainability, service development and future service configuration.

Background

The drive in policy and practice is to enable individuals to achieve their preferred place of care during their last days of life. However, most people in UK die in acute hospital settings against their wishes. To facilitate individuals' preferred place of care, a large acute hospital in northeast England implemented a pilot project to establish a nurse‐led Macmillan Palliative Care Discharge Facilitator Service.

Design

A pluralistic evaluation design using qualitative methods was used to seek stakeholders' views and perceptions of this service.

Methods

In total, 12 participants (five bereaved carers and seven health professionals) participated in the evaluation. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with bereaved carers who used this service for their relatives. A focus group and an individual interview were undertaken with health professionals who had used the service since its inception. Individual interviews were also conducted with the Discharge Facilitator and service manager. Analysis of all data was guided by Framework Analysis.

Results

Four key themes emerged relating to the role of the Discharge Facilitator Service: achieving preferred place of care; the Discharge Facilitator as the ‘conduit’ between hospital and community settings; delays in hospital discharge and stakeholders' perceptions of the way forward for the service.

Conclusion

The Discharge Facilitator Service acted as a reliable resource and support for facilitating the fast‐tracking of end‐of‐life patients to their preferred place of care.

Relevance to clinical practice

Future planning for hospital‐based palliative care discharge facilitating services need to consider incorporating strategies that include: increased profile of the service, expansion of service provision and the Discharge Facilitator's earlier involvement in the discharge process.
The Delay of Grandparenthood: A Cohort Comparison in East and West Germany
Authors: Leopold Thomas , Skopek Jan
Published: March 2015

This research explored the delay of grandparenthood in East and West Germany, investigating how the timing and life‐course context of this transition have changed across cohorts. The authors estimated the timing of passages into the grandparent role as well as demographic overlap with worker, parent, and filial roles. Data from the German Aging Survey (N = 3,628) revealed a rise of 3 months per birth cohort (1929–1958) in the median age at grandparenthood. As a result, the grandparent role decoupled almost entirely from active parenthood. Overlap with worker and filial roles was frequent and remained stable across cohorts. The findings direct attention to a neglected demographic trend that is striking in scope and precipitates change not only in the grandparent role but also in kinship structure.
Source‐Country Gender Roles and the Division of Labor Within Immigrant Families
Authors: Frank Kristyn , Hou Feng
Published: March 2015

The authors examined the relationship between source‐country gender roles and the gender division of paid and unpaid labor within immigrant families in the host society. Results from Canadian Census of Population (N = 497,973) data show that the 2 indicators of source‐country gender roles examined—female/male labor activity ratio and female/male secondary education ratio—are both positively associated with immigrant wives' share in their family labor supply and negatively associated with their share in housework. The association between source‐country gender roles and women's share in couples' labor activities weakens over time. Moreover, the relationship between source‐country female/male labor activity and immigrant couples' gender division of labor is reduced when immigrant women have nonimmigrant husbands, indicating that husband's immigration status matters.
Welfare‐to‐Work Reform and Intergenerational Support: Grandmothers' Response to the 1996 PRWORA
Authors: Ho Christine
Published: March 2015

The 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA; Pub. L. 104‐193) in the United States aimed at encouraging work among low‐income mothers with children below age 18. In this study, the author used a sample of 2,843 intergenerational family observations from the Health and Retirement Study to estimate the effects of the reform on single grandmothers who are related to those mothers. The results suggest that the reform decreased time transfers but increased money transfers from grandmothers. The results are consistent with an intergenerational family support network where higher child care subsidies motivated the family to shift away from grandmother provided child care and where grandmothers increased money transfers to either help cover the remaining cost of formal care or to partly compensate for the loss in benefits of welfare leavers.
What About the Grandparents? Children's Postdivorce Residence Arrangements and Contact With Grandparents
Authors: Westphal Sarah Katharina , Poortman Anne‐Rigt , Van der Lippe Tanja
Published: March 2015

Despite the importance of grandparents in their grandchildren's lives, little is known about grandparent–grandchild contact after parental divorce. In this study, the authors investigated differences in grandparent–grandchild contact across 3 postdivorce residence arrangements (mother residence, father residence, and shared residence) using recent survey data from the Netherlands (N = 3,842). The results indicated that contact with maternal grandparents after divorce was highest in mother‐residence arrangements, followed by shared residence and then father residence. Contact with paternal grandparents was highest for children in father‐residence and shared‐residence arrangements, followed by mother residence. Parental conflict had little influence on children's contact with maternal grandparents, but it decreased contact with paternal grandparents. Moreover, the results partly support the assumption that conflict moderates the relationship between residence arrangements and grandparental contact, with differences between residence arrangements being more pronounced in the case of high‐conflict divorced families than in low‐conflict ones.
Hopelessly Devoted? Relationship Quality During and After Incarceration
Authors: Turney Kristin
Published: March 2015

A growing literature highlights the multifaceted consequences of incarceration for family life, but little is known about the quality of relationships between couples who remain together during and after 1 partner's incarceration. In this article, the author used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 1,848), a longitudinal cohort of parents, to consider the association between paternal incarceration and 4 measures of relationship quality: (a) overall relationship quality, (b) supportiveness, (c) emotional abuse, and (d) physical abuse. The results showed that paternal incarceration in the past 2 years was, by and large, associated with lower mother‐reported (but not father‐reported) relationship quality. However, across some outcome variables, current paternal incarceration was positively associated with relationship quality. Taken together, these findings suggest that current and recent incarceration have countervailing consequences for relationship quality and, more generally, that the penal system exerts a powerful influence even among couples who maintain relationships.
Effect of Marriage and Spousal Criminality on Recidivism
Authors: Andersen Signe Hald , Andersen Lars Højsgaard , Skov Peer Ebbesen
Published: March 2015

The authors analyzed whether the effect of marriage on recidivism varied by spousal criminality. For this purpose, they used propensity score matching and full population data from Statistics Denmark on all unmarried and previously convicted men from birth cohorts 1965–1985 (N = 102,839). The results showed that marriage reduced recidivism compared to nonmarriage only when the spouse had no criminal record. Similarly, marriage to a nonconvicted spouse reduced recidivism significantly more than marriage to a convicted spouse. These findings not only underline how important marriage is for social integration but also stress the heterogeneous nature of the protective effects of marriage.
Relationship Preferences Among Gay and Lesbian Online Daters: Individual and Contextual Influences
Authors: Potârcă Gina , Mills Melinda , Neberich Wiebke
Published: March 2015

There is currently little knowledge about what gay men and lesbians seek in a romantic relationship. This study extends the literature on gay men and lesbians' partnership preferences by engaging in the first large‐scale empirical study of the long‐term dating intentions and monogamy beliefs of gay and lesbian online daters across 53 regions in 8 European countries (N = 24,598). Looking at profile and preference information, the authors examined both individual and contextual determinants in a series of multilevel logistic regression analyses. They show that lesbians give more importance to monogamy but show less interest in starting a long‐term relationship. The data also reveal the importance of life course aspects such as relationship history and presence of children. Finally, the authors empirically demonstrate that social tolerance and legal recognition of same‐sex unions are associated with higher long‐term dating intentions and stronger monogamy beliefs.
Melatonin reduces oxidative stress and improves vascular function in pulmonary hypertensive newborn sheep
Authors: Torres Flavio , González‐Candia Alejandro , Montt Camilo , Ebensperger Germán , Chubretovic Magdalena , Serón‐Ferré María , Reyes Roberto V. , Llanos Aníbal J. , Herrera Emilio A.
Published: March 2015

Pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PHN) constitutes a critical condition with severe cardiovascular and neurological consequences. One of its main causes is hypoxia during gestation, and thus, it is a public health concern in populations living above 2500 m. Although some mechanisms are recognized, the pathophysiological facts that lead to PHN are not fully understood, which explains the lack of an effective treatment. Oxidative stress is one of the proposed mechanisms inducing pulmonary vascular dysfunction and PHN. Therefore, we assessed whether melatonin, a potent antioxidant, improves pulmonary vascular function. Twelve newborn sheep were gestated, born, and raised at 3600 meters. At 3 days old, lambs were catheterized and daily cardiovascular measurements were recorded. Lambs were divided into two groups, one received daily vehicle as control and another received daily melatonin (1 mg/kg/d), for 8 days. At 11 days old, lung tissue and small pulmonary arteries (SPA) were collected. Melatonin decreased pulmonary pressure and resistance for the first 3 days of treatment. Further, melatonin significantly improved the vasodilator function of SPA, enhancing the endothelial‐ and muscular‐dependent pathways. This was associated with an enhanced nitric oxide‐dependent and nitric oxide independent vasodilator components and with increased nitric oxide bioavailability in lung tissue. Further, melatonin reduced the pulmonary oxidative stress markers and increased enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity. Finally, these effects were associated with an increase of lumen diameter and a mild decrease in the wall of the pulmonary arteries. These outcomes support the use of melatonin as an adjuvant in the treatment for PHN.
Spatial distribution of crustaceans associated with shallow soft‐bottom habitats in a coral reef lagoon
Authors: Navarro‐Barranco Carlos , Guerra‐García José M.
Published: March 2015

The ecology and diversity of the shallow soft‐bottom areas adjacent to coral reefs are still poorly known. To date, the few studies conducted in these habitats dealing with macroinvertebrate fauna have focused on their abundance spatial patterns at high taxonomic levels. Thus, some aspects important to evaluate the importance and vulnerability of these habitats, such as species diversity or the degree of habitat specialization, have often been overlooked. In this study we compared the crustacean assemblages present in four different habitats at Magoodhoo Island coral reef lagoon (Maldives): coral rubble, sandy areas and two different seagrass species (Thalassia hemprichii and Cymodocea sp.). Forty‐two different crustacean species belonging to 30 families and four orders were found. ‘Site’ was a significant factor in all of the statistical analyses, indicating that tropical soft‐bottom habitats can be highly heterogeneous, even at a spatial scale between tens and hundreds of meters. Although traditionally it has been considered that seagrass beds host greater species diversity and abundance of organisms than adjacent unvegetated habitats, no differences in the univariate measures of fauna (abundance of organisms, number of species and Shannon diversity) were observed among habitats. However, sandy areas, coral rubble and seagrass beds exhibited different species composition of crustacean communities. The percentage of taxa considered as potential habitat specialists was 27% and the number of species exclusively occurring in one habitat was especially high in seagrass beds. Thus, degradation of this vegetated habitat would result in a great loss of biodiversity in tropical shallow soft‐bottom habitats.