bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assimilation into daily practice: implementing and sustaining a randomised‐controlled trial in a children's clinical service
Authors: Hilliard Carol , Brenner Maria
Published: January 2016

Aims and objectives

To explore nurses' experiences of being involved in a clinically based randomised‐controlled trial in a children's hospital.

Background

Numerous studies have explored the barriers to research utilisation by nurses. However, there is little information available on the methodological challenges and practical implementation of a study in a busy clinical setting.

Design

A qualitative exploratory descriptive design using semi‐structured interviews was adopted.

Methods

A purposeful sample of eight nurses responsible for implementing the research protocols, the consent process and data collection for the randomised‐controlled trial were interviewed between March–June 2013. Data were analysed using a thematic network analysis framework.

Results

The analysis of the data yielded the global theme of ‘Expectations vs. Reality’ as participants discussed their experience of being part of a nurse‐led randomised‐controlled trial in a busy children's burns service. This global theme arose from three organising themes: developing nursing practice; enhanced research knowledge and time to engage.

Conclusions

The findings from this study suggest that nurses in a busy tertiary children's hospital were generally very positive about being part of a nurse‐led randomised‐controlled trial. Although the benefits outweighed the challenges of engaging in research for the nurses in this study, this level of commitment and motivation can be difficult to maintain. Collaboration with nurses in clinical practice and the development of support structures can help to promote sustainable engagement in research.

Relevance to clinical practice

The findings highlight the importance of developing robust structures which support nurses at clinical level to engage in research without feeling they must choose between competing priorities of patient care and research activity.
Diabetic and nondiabetic patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease have an impaired incretin effect and fasting hyperglucagonaemia
Authors: Junker A. E. , Gluud L. , Holst J. J. , Knop F. K. , Vilsbøll T.
Published: January 2016

Objective

We evaluated whether patients with histologically verified nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have an impaired incretin effect and hyperglucagonaemia.

Methods

Four groups matched for age, sex and body mass index were studied: (i) 10 patients with normal glucose tolerance and NAFLD; (ii) 10 patients with type 2 diabetes and NAFLD; (iii) eight patients with type 2 diabetes and no liver disease; and (iv) 10 controls. All participants underwent a 50‐g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and an isoglycaemic intravenous glucose infusion (IIGI). We determined the incretin effect by relating the beta cell secretory responses during the OGTT and IIGI. Data are presented as medians (interquartile range), and the groups were compared by using the Kruskal–Wallis test.

Results

Controls exhibited a higher incretin effect [55% (43–73%)] compared with the remaining three groups (P < 0.001): 39% (44–71%) in the nondiabetic NAFLD patients, 20% (−5−50%) in NAFLD patients with type 2 diabetes, and 2% (−8−6%) in patients with type 2 diabetes and no liver disease. We found fasting hyperglucagonaemia in NAFLD patients with [7.5 pmol L−1 (6.8–15 pmol L−1)] and without diabetes [7.5 pmol L−1 (5.0–8.0 pmol L−1)]. Fasting glucagon levels were lower but similar in patients with type 2 diabetes and no liver disease [4.5 pmol L−1 (3.0–6.0 pmol L−1)] and controls [3.4 pmol L−1 (1.8–6.0 pmol L−1)]. All groups had similar glucagon‐like peptide‐1 and glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide responses.

Conclusions

Patients with NAFLD have a reduced incretin effect and fasting hyperglucagonaemia, with the latter occurring independently of glucose (in)tolerance.
How Inhomogeneous Salt Distribution Can affect the Sensory Properties of Salt‐Reduced Multi‐Component Food: Contribution of A Mixture Experimental Design Approach Applied to Pizza
Authors: Guilloux Marion , Prost Carole , Courcoux Philippe , Le Bail Alain , Lethuaut Laurent
Published: January 2016

Salt reduction in food is a major concern for public health authorities but remains a challenge for the food industry. Aims of this study are to modulate salt distribution between the ingredients of salt‐reduced pizza (−30%) by modifying the salt content of each ingredient without changing the total salt content of pizza using mixture experimental design, to demonstrate its impact on sensory properties, and to determine the formulation with sensory properties, evaluated by Quantitative Descriptive Analysis, closest to the reference product. In this study, pizzas are made of dough, ham, cheese and sauce in constant proportions. Obtained results underline the consequences of modulating salt distribution on perception of multi‐component foods. The distribution of salt between ingredients affects taste and texture perception and predictive models are established for each discriminating attributes. An optimal formulation, determined by multi‐response analysis, is found with sensory properties closest to the reference product allowing compensating salt reduction. This formulation is composed of 20% of salt from cooked ham, 47.5% from mozzarella‐style cheese, 0% from dough and 32.5% from tomato sauce. Salt should thus be located preferentially within mozzarella‐style cheese and tomato sauce whereas it can be extensively reduced in dough.

Practical Applications

In addition to being used as a taste and flavour enhancer, salt is involved in (1) food preservation by decreasing water activity; (2) in food structure by modifying the protein network and interactions between proteins and components of food; and (3) in the variation of enzyme activity This is why, reducing the salt content in food products without affecting their organoleptic properties constitutes a major challenge for the manufacturers. This work presents the feasibility of modulating salt distribution between ingredients of salt‐reduced pizza (−30%) by modifying the salt content of each ingredient without changing the total salt content of pizza as an efficient way to maintain sensory perceptions as reference product allowing compensating salt reduction.
Bartlett Correction of Empirical Likelihood for Non‐Gaussian Short‐Memory Time Series
Authors: Chen Kun , Chan Ngai Hang , Yau Chun Yip
Published: January 2016

Bartlett correction, which improves the coverage accuracies of confidence regions, is one of the desirable features of empirical likelihood. For empirical likelihood with dependent data, previous studies on the Bartlett correction are mainly concerned with Gaussian processes. By establishing the validity of Edgeworth expansion for the signed root empirical log‐likelihood ratio statistics, we show that the Bartlett correction is applicable to empirical likelihood for short‐memory time series with possibly non‐Gaussian innovations. The Bartlett correction is established under the assumptions that the variance of the innovation is known and the mean of the underlying process is zero for a single parameter model. In particular, the order of the coverage errors of Bartlett‐corrected confidence regions can be reduced fromO(n−1) toO(n−2).
Paternal sex allocation: how variable is the sperm sex ratio?
Authors: Edwards A. M. , Cameron E. Z. , Pereira J. C. , Ferguson‐Smith M. A.
Published: January 2016

Research on mammalian sex allocation has focused almost exclusively on mothers under the implied assumption that the male contribution is neutral, with an equal proportion of X‐ and Y‐chromosomes resulting from meiosis during sperm production. Although early studies on sperm traits suggested that sex ratios were at parity, technological advances have made analysis cheaper and more reliable. Subsequently, more studies have shown variation in the X‐/Y‐chromosome‐bearing spermatozoa (CBS) ratio, usually in relation to unusual circumstances, like environmental contamination. Nonetheless, these are assumed to be abnormal, and studies on sex allocation still assume that biases in the sex ratio at conception arise maternally. We investigated sperm sex ratios in a mammalian model species, and found that sperm sex ratios at both the sample and population level show significant variation. We also found significant heterogeneity in the population, confirming that samples vary from each other. This challenges the current assumption that sperm sex ratio are meitoically controlled and shows variation under conditions where we would not expect it. These results raise the possibility of adaptive paternal control of sex allocation. We discuss the implication of this and the possible interaction with maternal sex allocation. This study confirms that complete sex allocation research requires the investigation into paternal contributions, as well as those of mothers.
Reenacting ethnic cleansing: people's history and elitist nationalism in contemporary Poland
Authors: Pasieka Agnieszka
Published: January 2016

This article addresses the problem of the present‐day historical discourse in Poland by taking under scrutiny one specific event: the historical re‐enactment of the ethnic cleansing of Polish villagers by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, staged in a small town in southeastern Poland, Radymno, in the summer of 2013. It is based on research, carried out by the author and a group of students in Radymno and its surroundings in the period preceding and following the performance, as well as on content analysis of the press. The comparison of the top‐down political and mass media discourse with local responses to the idea of re‐enactment and, more broadly, local understandings of Polish–Ukrainian relations, reveal many contradictions. In attempting to understand them, the article discusses broader ramifications of the ‘democratization of history’: the political contestation, class rhetoric and societal tensions that are tangled up in historical debates.
Definitions of Turkish in‐group boundaries: national participation and essentialism as predictors of inter‐group attitudes in Turkey
Authors: Taşdemİr Nagİhan , Öner‐Özkan Bengİ
Published: January 2016

The present research investigates how definitions of national in‐group boundaries predict inter‐group attitudes in Turkey. In Study 1, we explore definitions of Turkish in‐group boundaries as well as perceptions of the Turkish in‐group's relations with other groups among 64 university students. In Study 2, conducted among 324 university students, exploratory factor analyses reveal two dimensions of Turkish in‐group boundaries: national participation (a more civic definition) and national essentialism (a more ethnic definition). They also reveal four dimensions of the relations with others. Regression analyses show that national participation predicts more negative inter‐group attitudes. However, national essentialism is not found to predict the inter‐group attitudes. These results are compared with those of previous studies, mostly conducted in Western countries. The comparison suggests that conclusions about the positive role of Civic and the negative role of Ethnic/Cultural definitions in intergroup relations may be less general than is previously thought.
Effect of genetic background and postinfectious stress on visceral sensitivity in Citrobacter rodentium‐infected mice
Authors: Mondelaers S. U. , Theofanous S. A. , Florens M. V. , Perna E. , Aguilera‐Lizarraga J. , Boeckxstaens G. E. , Wouters M. M.
Published: January 2016

Background

Infectious gastroenteritis is a major risk factor to develop postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI‐IBS). It remains unknown why only a subgroup of infected individuals develops PI‐IBS. We hypothesize that immunogenetic predisposition is an important risk factor. Hence, we studied the effect of Citrobacter rodentium infection on visceral sensitivity in Th1‐predominant C57BL/6 and Th2‐predominant Balb/c mice.

Methods

Eight‐week‐old mice were gavaged with C. rodentium, followed by 1 h of water avoidance stress (WAS) at 5 weeks PI. At 10, 14 days, and 5 weeks PI, samples were assessed for histology and inflammatory gene expression by RT‐qPCR. Visceral sensitivity was evaluated by visceromotor response recordings (VMR) to colorectal distension.

Key Results

Citrobacter rodentium evoked a comparable colonic inflammatory response at 14 days PI characterized by increased crypt length and upregulation of Th1/Th17 cytokine mRNA levels (puncorrected < 0.05) in both C57BL/6 and Balb/c mice. At 5 weeks PI, inflammatory gene mRNA levels returned to baseline in both strains. The VMR was maximal at 14 days PI in C57BL/6 (150 ± 47%; p = 0.02) and Balb/c mice (243 ± 52%; p = 0.03). At 3 weeks PI, the VMR remained increased in Balb/c (176 ± 23%; p = 0.02), but returned to baseline in C57BL/6 mice. At 5 weeks PI, WAS could not re‐introduce visceral hypersensitivity (VHS).

Conclusions & Inferences

Citrobacter rodentium infection induces transient VHS in C57BL/6 and Balb/c mice, which persisted 1 week longer in Balb/c mice. Although other strain‐related differences may contribute, a Th2 background may represent a risk factor for prolonged PI‐VHS. As PI‐VHS is transient, other factors are crucial for persistent VHS development as observed in PI‐IBS.
Placing Sanctuaries in Their Socio‐Political Landscapes: A Diachronic Approach to the Late Iron Age Communities in South‐East Iberia (Fourth–Second Centuries BC)
Authors: López‐Mondéjar Leticia
Published: January 2016

This paper explores the relationship between the historical dynamics and the transformations observed in pre‐Roman cult places in eastern Iberia between the fourth and second centuries BC. These are analysed through a case study: the sanctuary of La Luz (Murcia), located in the Segura Valley, in south‐east Iberia. Three main religious changes are discussed from this perspective: the development of the sanctuary in the fourth century BC, the changes observed in its archaeological record in the third century BC, and finally its destruction in the second century BC. These offer a diachronic view of the transformations, and illustrate the different levels at which they were expressed, from the archaeological record to the landscape. The work aims to provide a different perspective from previous studies in this area and a new view of the cult places in south‐east Iberia within their socio‐political landscape and the Mediterranean historical context.
Identity Management during Organizational Mergers: Empirical Insights and Practical Advice
Authors: Giessner Steffen R. , Horton Kate E. , Humborstad Sut I Wong
Published: January 2016

Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are increasingly undertaken in both the private and public sector, as organizations vie for competitiveness within challenging economic climates. Yet, the social costs of M&As are rarely considered in the planning and implementation of these impactful organizational change processes. In this review, we take a social identity approach to M&As, exploring the impact of M&A activities on employees and their local communities. Specifically, we outline the pivotal role played by identity reputation and continuity, intergroup structure and processes, leadership and justice in managing employee adjustment during M&As. Throughout our review, we pay close attention to the managerial implications of our findings for strategic planning and best practices within M&A contexts. We conclude by outlining the implications of our review for the development of official guidelines and social policies around M&A implementation.
Norm Perception as a Vehicle for Social Change
Authors: Tankard Margaret E. , Paluck Elizabeth Levy
Published: January 2016

How can we change social norms, the standards describing typical or desirable behavior? Because individuals’ perceptions of norms guide their personal behavior, influencing these perceptions is one way to create social change. And yet individuals do not form perceptions of typical or desirable behavior in an unbiased manner. Individuals attend to select sources of normative information, and their resulting perceptions rarely match actual rates of behavior in their environment. Thus, changing social norms requires an understanding of how individuals perceive norms in the first place. We describe three sources of information that people use to understand norms—individual behavior, summary information about a group, and institutional signals. Social change interventions have used each source to influence perceived norms and behaviors, including recycling, intimate‐partner violence, and peer harassment. We discuss conditions under which influence over perceived norms is likely to be stronger, based on the source of the normative information and individuals’ relationship to the source. Finally, we point to future research and suggest when it is most appropriate to use a norm change strategy in the interest of behavior and social change.
†Kinzelbachilla ellenbergeri – a new ancestral species, genus and family of Strepsiptera (Insecta)
Authors: POHL HANS , BEUTEL ROLF G.
Published: January 2016

A single male specimen of a new species (†Kinzelbachilla ellenbergeri gen. et sp.n.) of a new family of the endoparasitic Strepsiptera (†Kinzelbachillidae fam.n.) from Burmese amber is described and evaluated with respect to its systematic placement. Its features come very close to the presumptive groundplan of the order suggested in recent studies. Preserved plesiomorphic features are the following: fully sclerotized head with long coronal suture, small ommatidia not separated by chitinous bridges, absence of microtrichia between ommatidia, eight antennomeres, robust mandibles with dicondylic articulation, galea distinctly developed, free pro‐ and mesotrochanters, slender five‐segmented tarsi without adhesive soles, and equally sclerotized abdominal tergites and sternites. An important character that is not recognizable due to damage is the shape of the metapostnotum. This structure is transverse in the groundplan of Strepsiptera and in †Protoxenos, but elongated and shield‐like in all other known strepsipterans. In a cladistic analyses of 82 characters of adult males and additional characters for females and immatures (scored as unknown for all included fossils) †Kinzelbachilla is placed as sister group of all remaining strepsipterans except for †Protoxenos, followed by †Cretostylops and †Mengea as the third and fourth branches in the stem group, respectively. The position of †Protoxenos as first branch is suggested by three unambiguous apomorphic features of all remaining Strepsiptera, the reduced size of less than 6 mm, mandibles distinctly narrowing distad the basalmost part, and fan‐shaped hindwings which are broader than they are long. The hitherto known fossil stem group strepsipterans do not distinctly narrow the large morphological gap separating this order from its sister group, the Coleoptera.

This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:07554C01-DEC3-4080-A337-B1F46BC9070F.
Teaching Critical Thinking without (Much) Writing: Multiple‐Choice and Metacognition
Authors: Bassett Molly H.
Published: January 2016

In this essay, I explore an exam format that pairs multiple‐choice questions with required rationales. In a space adjacent to each multiple‐choice question, students explain why or how they arrived at the answer they selected. This exercise builds the critical thinking skill known as metacognition, thinking about thinking, into an exam that also engages students in the methods of the academic study of religion by asking them to compare familiar excerpts and images. As a form of assessment, the exam provides a record of students' knowledge and their thought processes, and as a learning strategy, it encourages students to examine the thought processes they use to understand religion(s) and its many manifestations.
Species Distribution Modelling of Aedes aegypti in two dengue‐endemic regions of Pakistan
Authors: Fatima Syeda Hira , Atif Salman , Rasheed Syed Basit , Zaidi Farrah , Hussain Ejaz
Published: January 2016

Objectives

Statistical tools are effectively used to determine the distribution of mosquitoes and to make ecological inferences about the vector‐borne disease dynamics. In this study, we utilised species distribution models to understand spatial patterns of Aedes aegypti in two dengue‐prevalent regions of Pakistan, Lahore and Swat. Species distribution models can potentially indicate the probability of suitability of Ae. aegypti once introduced to new regions like Swat, where invasion of this species is a recent phenomenon.

Methods

The distribution of Ae. aegypti was determined by applying the MaxEnt algorithm on a set of potential environmental factors and species sample records. The ecological dependency of species on each environmental variable was analysed using response curves. We quantified the statistical performance of the models based on accuracy assessment and spatial predictions.

Results

Our results suggest that Ae. aegypti is widely distributed in Lahore. Human population density and urban infrastructure are primarily responsible for greater probability of mosquito occurrence in this region. In Swat, Ae. aegypti has clumped distribution, where urban patches provide refuge to the species in an otherwise hostile heterogeneous environment and road networks are assumed to have facilitated in passive‐mediated dispersal of species.

Conclusions

In Pakistan, Ae. aegypti is expanding its range northwards; this could be associated with rapid urbanisation, trade and travel. The main implication of this expansion is that more people are at risk of dengue fever in the northern highlands of Pakistan.
MicroRNA‐targeted transcription factor gene RDD1 promotes nutrient ion uptake and accumulation in rice
Authors: Iwamoto Masao , Tagiri Akemi
Published: January 2016

Fertilizers are often potential environmental pollutants, therefore increasing productivity and the efficiency of nutrient uptake to boost crop yields without the risk of environmental pollution is a desirable goal. Here, we show that the transcription factor encoding gene RDD1 plays a role in improving the uptake and accumulation of various nutrient ions in rice. RDD1 was found to be targeted by the microRNA miR166. An RDD1 transgene driven by a strong constitutive promoter exhibited a diurnally oscillating expression similar to that of the endogenous RDD1, and nucleotide substitution within the miR166 recognition site to prevent miR166–RDD1 mRNA pairing resulted in constitutive RDD1 expression. The RDD1 protein was localized to vascular tissue because miR166 repressed RDD1 expression in the mesophyll. The overexpression of RDD1 induced the expression of genes associated with the transport of several nutrients such as NH4+, Na+, SO42−, Cl−, PO43− and sucrose, and the uptake and accumulation of various nutrient ions under low‐nutrient conditions. Moreover, the overexpression of RDD1 increased nitrogen responsiveness and grain productivity. Our results suggest that RDD1 can contribute to the increased grain productivity of rice via inducing the efficient uptake and accumulation of various nutrient ions.
Effect of preservative‐free tafluprost on intraocular pressure, pupil diameter, and anterior segment structures in normal canine eyes
Authors: Kwak Jiyoon , Kang Seonmi , Lee Eui Ri , Park Sangwan , Park Sungwon , Park Eunjin , Lim Jaegook , Seo Kangmoon
Published: January 2016

Objective

This study was designed to evaluate the changes in intraocular pressure (IOP), pupil diameter (PD), and anterior segment parameters using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) after instillation of preservative‐free (PF) tafluprost in normal dogs.

Procedures

Six beagle dogs were used.PFtafluprost was instilled in one randomly selected eye, andPFartificial tear was instilled in the other eye (control).IOPandPDwere measured every 15 min for the first hour, every 2 h for the next 17 h, and at 24 h and 36 h postinstillation (PI). Anterior segment parameters including geometric iridocorneal angle (ICA), width of the entry of the ciliary cleft (CCW), length of the ciliary cleft, area of the ciliary cleft, and depth of the anterior chamber were measured withUBMbefore and afterPFtafluprost instillation.

Results

Compared with the control group,IOPwas significantly lower from 4 hPIto 24 hPIandPDwas significantly smaller from 30 minPIto 18 hPI(P< 0.05). AmongUBMparameters,ICAandCCWsignificantly decreased and increased afterPFtafluprost instillation, respectively (P< 0.05). Other parameters showed no significant changes.

Conclusions

Instillation ofPFtafluprost loweredIOPand induced miosis in normal canine eyes. Alterations inICAandCCWoccurred simultaneously, which probably affected the outflow of aqueous humor.PFtafluprost could be considered an alternative prostaglandin analog in the treatment of canine glaucoma.
Allosteric regulation of Warts
Authors: VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: January 2016

Hippo pathway regulators allosterically switch the conformation of the kinase Warts.
Impairing cognition with TNF-α
Authors: Gough Nancy R.
Published: January 2016

Hippocampal astrocytes stimulated by TNF-α contribute to cognitive defects.
Evolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Antimicrobial Resistance and Fitness under Low and High Mutation Rates
Authors: Cabot Gabriel , Zamorano Laura , Moyà Bartolomé , Juan Carlos , Navas Alfonso , Blázquez Jesús , Oliver Antonio
Published: January 2016

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, a major cause of nosocomial and chronic infections, is considered a paradigm of antimicrobial resistance development. However, the evolutionary trajectories of antimicrobial resistance and the impact of mutator phenotypes remain mostly unexplored. Therefore, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed in lineages of wild-type and mutator (Δ
mutS
) strains exposed to increasing concentrations of relevant antipseudomonal agents. WGS provided a privileged perspective of the dramatic effect of mutator phenotypes on the accumulation of random mutations, most of which were transitions, as expected. Moreover, a frameshift mutagenic signature, consistent with error-prone DNA polymerase activity as a consequence of SOS system induction, was also seen. This effect was evidenced for all antibiotics tested, but it was higher for fluoroquinolones than for cephalosporins or carbapenems. Analysis of genotype versus phenotype confirmed expected resistance evolution trajectories but also revealed new pathways. Classical mechanisms included multiple mutations leading to AmpC overexpression (ceftazidime), quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) mutations (ciprofloxacin),
oprD
inactivation (meropenem), and efflux pump overexpression (ciprofloxacin and meropenem). Groundbreaking findings included gain-of-function mutations leading to the structural modification of AmpC (ceftazidime), novel DNA gyrase (GyrA) modification (ciprofloxacin), and the alteration of the β-lactam binding site of penicillin-binding protein 3 (PBP3) (meropenem). A further striking finding was seen in the evolution of meropenem resistance, selecting for specific extremely large (>250 kb) genomic deletions providing a growth advantage in the presence of the antibiotic. Finally, fitness and virulence varied within and across evolved antibiotic-resistant populations, but mutator lineages showed a lower biological cost for some antibiotics.
Polarity Alteration of a Calcium Site Induces a Hydrophobic Interaction Network and Enhances Cel9A Endoglucanase Thermostability
Authors: Wang Hsiu-Jung , Hsiao Yu-Yuan , Chen Yu-Pei , Ma Tien-Yang , Tseng Ching-Ping
Published: January 2016

Structural calcium sites control protein thermostability and activity by stabilizing native folds and changing local conformations.
Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius
survives in thermal-acidic conditions and produces an endoglucanase Cel9A (AaCel9A) which contains a calcium-binding site (Ser465 to Val470) near the catalytic cleft. By superimposing the Ca
2+
-free and Ca
2+
-bounded conformations of the calcium site, we found that Ca
2+
induces hydrophobic interactions between the calcium site and its nearby region by driving a conformational change. The hydrophobic interactions at the high-B-factor region could be enhanced further by replacing the surrounding polar residues with hydrophobic residues to affect enzyme thermostability and activity. Therefore, the calcium-binding residue Asp468 (whose side chain directly ligates Ca
2+
), Asp469, and Asp471 of AaCel9A were separately replaced by alanine and valine. Mutants D468A and D468V showed increased activity compared with those of the wild type with 0 mM or 10 mM Ca
2+
added, whereas the Asp469 or Asp471 substitution resulted in decreased activity. The D468A crystal structure revealed that mutation D468A triggered a conformational change similar to that induced by Ca
2+
in the wild type and developed a hydrophobic interaction network between the calcium site and the neighboring hydrophobic region (Ala113 to Ala117). Mutations D468V and D468A increased 4.5°C and 5.9°C, respectively, in melting temperature, and enzyme half-life at 75°C increased approximately 13 times. Structural comparisons between AaCel9A and other endoglucanases of the GH9 family suggested that the stability of the regions corresponding to the AaCel9A calcium site plays an important role in GH9 endoglucanase catalysis at high temperature.
Genome Reconstruction from Metagenomic Data Sets Reveals Novel Microbes in the Brackish Waters of the Caspian Sea
Authors: Mehrshad Maliheh , Amoozegar Mohammad Ali , Ghai Rohit , Shahzadeh Fazeli Seyed Abolhassan , Rodriguez-Valera Francisco
Published: January 2016

We present here the findings from a study of the microbiome of the southern basin of the Caspian Sea, the largest water body on Earth disconnected from any ocean and a brackish inland sea. By high-throughput metagenomics, we were able to reconstruct the genomes of representative microbes. The gross community structure (at the phylum level) was different from the structure of typical marine and freshwater communities in temperate open oceans, with the Caspian Sea having freshwater-like amounts of
Actinobacteria
and
Alphaproteobacteria
, while
Gammaproteobacteria
and
Betaproteobacteria
were present at intermediate levels. We assembled the genomes of several groups and provide detailed descriptions of partial genomes from
Actinobacteria
,
Thaumarchaea
, and
Alphaproteobacteria
. Most belonged to hitherto unknown groups, although they were related to either marine or freshwater groups. The phylogenetic placement of the Caspian genomes indicates that the organisms have multiple and separate phylogenetic origins and that they are related to organisms with both freshwater and marine lineages. Comparative recruitment from global aquatic metagenomes indicated that most Caspian microbes are endemic. However, some Caspian genomes were recruited significantly from either marine water (a member of the
Alphaproteobacteria
) or freshwater (a member of the
Actinobacteria
). Reciprocally, some genomes of other origins, such as the marine thaumarchaeon “
Candidatus
Nitrosopelagicus” or the actinobacterium “
Candidatus
Actinomarina,” were recruited from the Caspian Sea, indicating some degree of overlap with the microbiota of other water bodies. Some of these microbes seem to have a remarkably widespread geographic and environmental distribution.
Three Novel Candidate Probiotic Strains with Prophylactic Properties in a Murine Model of Cow's Milk Allergy
Authors: Neau Elodie , Delannoy Johanne , Marion Candice , Cottart Charles-Henry , Labellie Chantal , Holowacz Sophie , Butel Marie-José , Kapel Nathalie , Waligora-Dupriet Anne-Judith
Published: January 2016

Food allergies can have significant effects on morbidity and on quality of life. Therefore, the development of efficient approaches to reduce the risk of developing food allergies is of considerable interest. The aim of this study was to identify and select probiotic strains with preventive properties against allergies using a combination of
in vitro
and
in vivo
approaches. To that end, 31 strains of bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria were screened for their immunomodulatory properties in two cellular models, namely, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and T helper 2 (Th2)-skewed murine splenocytes. Six strains inducing a high interleukin-10 (IL-10)/IL-12p70 ratio and a low secretion of IL-4 on the two cellular models were selected, and their protective impact was tested
in vivo
in a murine model of food allergy to β-lactoglobulin. Three strains showed a protective impact on sensitization, with a decrease in allergen-specific IgE, and on allergy, with a decrease in mast cell degranulation. Analysis of the impact of these three strains on the T helper balance revealed different mechanisms of action. The
Lactobacillus salivarius
LA307 strain proved to block Th1 and Th2 responses, while the
Bifidobacterium longum
subsp.
infantis
LA308 strain induced a pro-Th1 profile and the
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
LA305 strain induced pro-Th1 and regulatory responses. These results demonstrate that a combination of
in vitro
and
in vivo
screening is effective in probiotic strain selection and allowed identification of three novel probiotic strains that are active against sensitization in mice.
Comparative Analyses of the Lipooligosaccharides from Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae and Haemophilus haemolyticus Show Differences in Sialic Acid and Phosphorylcholine Modifications
Authors: Post Deborah M. B. , Ketterer Margaret R. , Coffin Jeremy E. , Reinders Lorri M. , Munson Robert S. , Bair Thomas , Murphy Timothy F. , Foster Eric D. , Gibson Bradford W. , Apicella Michael A.
Published: January 2016

Haemophilus haemolyticus
and nontypeable
Haemophilus influenzae
(NTHi) are closely related upper airway commensal bacteria that are difficult to distinguish phenotypically. NTHi causes upper and lower airway tract infections in individuals with compromised airways, while
H. haemolyticus
rarely causes such infections. The lipooligosaccharide (LOS) is an outer membrane component of both species and plays a role in NTHi pathogenesis. In this study, comparative analyses of the LOS structures and corresponding biosynthesis genes were performed. Mass spectrometric and immunochemical analyses showed that NTHi LOS contained terminal sialic acid more frequently and to a higher extent than
H. haemolyticus
LOS did. Genomic analyses of 10 strains demonstrated that
H. haemolyticus
lacked the sialyltransferase genes
lic3A
and
lic3B
(9/10) and
siaA
(10/10), but all strains contained the sialic acid uptake genes
siaP
and
siaT
(10/10). However, isothermal titration calorimetry analyses of SiaP from two
H. haemolyticus
strains showed a 3.4- to 7.3-fold lower affinity for sialic acid compared to that of NTHi SiaP. Additionally, mass spectrometric and immunochemical analyses showed that the LOS from
H. haemolyticus
contained phosphorylcholine (ChoP) less frequently than the LOS from NTHi strains. These differences observed in the levels of sialic acid and ChoP incorporation in the LOS structures from
H. haemolyticus
and NTHi may explain some of the differences in their propensities to cause disease.
Pyelonephritis and obstructive uropathy: a case of acute kidney injury
Authors: Ashmore Adam Edward , Thompson Christopher James
Published: January 2016

We present a case of a man in his late 50s with a history of metastatic prostate carcinoma requiring bilateral ureteric stenting. He was admitted with increasing confusion and lethargy. He was diagnosed with sepsis and an acute kidney injury (AKI). Clinical suspicions of an obstructive component to his AKI were not confirmed by an ultrasound scan, which showed a unilateral hydronephrosis unchanged from a scan 1 month previously. A nephrostomy was performed, and frank pus aspirated. The patient's clinical state improved steadily thereafter. Patients who are dehydrated, or who have suffered from malignant or fibrotic processes affecting the retroperitoneum, may present with urinary obstruction without a corresponding increase in urinary tract dilation. Additionally, there must be a suspicion of pyonephrosis in a symptomatic patient with known hydronephrosis. Clinicians should be aware that clinical suspicions of urinary obstruction not demonstrated on ultrasound scanning require further investigation.
Do runners who suffer injuries have higher vertical ground reaction forces than those who remain injury-free? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: van der Worp Henk , Vrielink Jelte W , Bredeweg Steef W
Published: January 2016

Background

Vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) parameters have been implicated as a cause of several running-related injuries. However, no systematic review has examined this relationship.

Aim

We systematically reviewed evidence for a relation between VGRF parameters and specific running-related injuries.

Methods

MEDLINE, Web of Science and EMBASE databases were searched. Two independent assessors screened the articles and rated the methodological quality. The 3 key VGRF parameters we measured were vertical loading rate, impact/passive peak (Fz1) and propulsive/active peak (Fz2). Standardised mean differences of these parameters were calculated using a random-effects model. Meta-regression was performed using injury type, study type and methodological quality as factors.

Results

The search yielded 2016 citations and 18 met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review. The loading rate was higher in studies that included patients with a history of stress fractures and patients with all injury types, both compared with controls. Only studies that included patients with a history of symptoms at the time of kinetic data collection showed higher loading rates overall in cases than in controls. There were no differences between injured subjects and controls for the active and passive peaks of the VGRF.

The loading rate is higher in respondents with a history of stress fractures than in respondents without running injuries. Owing to the absence of prospective studies on other injury types, it is not possible to draw definite conclusions regarding their relation with loading rate.
Depressive symptoms, life satisfaction and prevalence of sleep disturbances in the general population of Germany: results from the Heinz Nixdorf Recall study
Authors: Lacruz Maria Elena , Schmidt-Pokrzywniak Andrea , Dragano Nico , Moebus Susanne , Deutrich Susanne Eva , Möhlenkamp Stefan , Schmermund Axel , Kaelsch Hagen , Erbel Raimund , Stang Andreas
Published: January 2016

Objectives

It appears that not only depression, but also low life satisfaction (LS), is related to sleep disorder in the general population. We evaluate whether the prevalence of sleep disorder attributable to depressed mood is greater among participants with low LS.

Setting, participants and outcome measures

Analysis of cross-sectional data from 3880 cohort members from the German Heinz Nixdorf Recall study (2006–2008) aged 51–81 years. Standard mood (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D) for Depressive symptoms and a single-item life satisfaction measure) and sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI) measures were conducted as part of the survey. Multiple imputation was used to deal with missing data in outcome, exposures or covariates. Relative excess risk for interaction (RERI) and its 95% CIs were estimated using adjusted prevalence ORs. Owing to the study size, the precision of the measures of additive interaction is relatively low.

Results

We observed an association between depressed mood (5-units increase in CES-D score) (POR=1.7 (95% CI 1.6 to 1.8)) and sleep disorder, and between low LS (not very satisfied vs very satisfied) (POR=1.5 (1.1 to 2.2)) and sleep disorder. Also, we observed a synergistic effect between lower level of LS (not very satisfied) and depressed mood (score ≥16) on prevalence of sleep disorders (RERI=3.7 (−0.2 to 7.1)). Furthermore, these findings were corroborated in sensitivity analysis carried out with the complete case data set and in sex-specific analyses (RERI=5.5 (−0.4 to 11.3), and RERI=2.4 (−2.5 to 7.4) for men and women, respectively).

Conclusions

Both depressed mood and LS are notably associated with sleep quality, and these relationships are best captured by considering their joint effects. Depression and LS need to be taken into consideration when analysing sleep quality.
Is referral of postsurgical colorectal cancer survivors to cardiac rehabilitation feasible and acceptable? A pragmatic pilot randomised controlled trial with embedded qualitative study
Authors: Hubbard Gill , Adams Richard , Campbell Anna , Kidd Lisa , Leslie Stephen J , Munro Julie , Watson Angus
Published: January 2016

Objectives

(1) Assess whether cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a feasible and acceptable model of rehabilitation for postsurgical colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors, (2) evaluate trial procedures. This article reports the results of the first objective.

Design and setting

A pragmatic pilot randomised controlled trial with embedded qualitative study was conducted in 3 UK hospitals with CR facilities. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise trial parameters indicative of intervention feasibility and acceptability. Interviews and focus groups were conducted and data analysed thematically.

Participants

People with CRC were considered for inclusion in the trial if they were ≥18 years old, diagnosed with primary CRC and in the recovery period postsurgery (they could still be receiving adjuvant therapy). 31% (n=41) of all eligible CRC survivors consented to participate in the trial. 22 of these CRC survivors, and 8 people with cardiovascular disease (CVD), 5 CRC nurses and 6 CR clinicians participated in the qualitative study.

Intervention

Referral of postsurgical CRC survivors to weekly CR exercise classes and information sessions. Classes included CRC survivors and people with CVD. CR nurses and physiotherapists were given training about cancer and exercise.

Results

Barriers to CR were protracted recoveries from surgery, ongoing treatments and poor mobility. No adverse events were reported during the trial, suggesting that CR is safe. 62% of participants completed the intervention as per protocol and had high levels of attendance. 20 health professionals attended the cancer and exercise training course, rating it as excellent. Participants perceived that CR increased CRC survivors’ confidence and motivation to exercise, and offered peer support. CR professionals were concerned about CR capacity to accommodate cancer survivors and their ability to provide psychosocial support to this group of patients.

Conclusions

CR is feasible and acceptable for postsurgical CRC survivors. A large-scale effectiveness trial of the intervention should be conducted.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN63510637.
Performance evaluation of the PelvoCheck CT/NG test kit for the detection ofChlamydia trachomatisandNeisseria gonorrhoeae
Authors: Meyer Thomas , Klos Christian , Kofler Regina , Kilic Annett , Hänel Kristina
Published: January 2016

Objective

Assessment of the performance of the PelvoCheck CT/NG test (Greiner-Bio-One GmbH) to detectChlamydia trachomatis(CT) andNeisseria gonorrhoeae(NG) in first-void urine (FVU) of females.

Design

A cross-sectional study to compare the PelvoCheck CT/NG with COBAS TaqMan CT Test V.2.0 (Roche) for the detection of CT and with an in-houseporA-based PCR for the detection of NG in FVU specimens. In addition, pools of 5 FVU specimens containing only CT-negative or 1 CT-positive and 4 CT-negative samples were tested. Abbott RealTimeCT/NG was used as an additional test to resolve discordant results.

Setting

Samples sent from six laboratories were tested at the University Medical Center Hamburg.

Participants

Urine samples were from 1622 female patients attending gynaecological practices for chlamydia screening, another 120 urine samples were from patients pretested for NG at Synlab, Medical Service Center, Weiden GmbH. In addition, 50 urine samples spiked with various concentrations of reference material were used.

Results

For the detection of CT and NG, the sensitivity and specificity of the PelvoCheck CT/NG test were 98.8% and 100%, and 98.3% and 98.2%, respectively. The data obtained with the PelvoCheck CT/NG for pooled urine specimens resulted in a positive agreement of 90.9% and a negative agreement of 100%.

Conclusions

The PelvoCheck CT/NG assay is a suitable test method for the detection of CT and NG in female FVU samples, with sensitivity and specificity comparable with other Food and Drug Administration approved CT/NG nucleic acid amplification tests. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first commercial test system validated for the analysis of pooled urine specimens. No false-positive or invalid result was observed in 55 analysed pools. Nevertheless, 5 samples were false negative due to a target concentration below the limit of detection of the PelvoCheck CT/NG test as a consequence of pooling-associated dilution.
Injury prevention exercise programmes in professional youth soccer: understanding the perceptions of programme deliverers
Authors: O'Brien James , Finch Caroline F
Published: January 2016

Background

There are well-known challenges to implementing injury prevention strategies in amateur soccer, but information from other soccer settings is scarce. This cross-sectional survey analysed the injury prevention perceptions of soccer coaches, fitness coaches and physiotherapists from 4 male teams in a professional youth soccer academy.

Methods

The respondents (n=18) completed a web-based survey relating to lower limb (LL) soccer injuries, the value and practicality of injury prevention exercise programmes (IPEPs) in general and, more specifically, the IPEP endorsed by FIFA, the FIFA 11+.

Results

There were very high levels of agreement regarding players’ susceptibility to LL injury and the seriousness of these injuries. Respondents agreed unanimously that players should perform evidence-based injury prevention exercises. Despite 61% of respondents having previously heard of the FIFA 11+, just 6% reported current use of the full programme, with a further 22% reporting modified use. 22% believed the FIFA 11+ contained adequate variation and progression for their team and 78% felt it needed improvement. Respondents identified multiple barriers and facilitators to maintaining IPEPs, relating either to the programme content (eg, exercise variation), or the delivery and support of the programme (eg, coach acceptance).

Conclusions

The coaches, fitness coaches and physiotherapists of professional youth teams support the use of IPEPs, but enhancing their impact requires tailoring of programme content, along with adequate delivery and support at multiple levels. The findings suggest that the FIFA 11+ needs modification for use in professional youth soccer teams.