bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Uncoupled inflammatory, proliferative, and cytoskeletal responses in senescent human gingival fibroblasts
Authors: Páez Jassir , Hernández Romina , Espinoza Javier , Rojas Leticia , Martínez Constanza E. , Tobar Nicolas , Martínez Jorge , Smith Patricio C. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractBackground and objectiveAging is characterized by a decline in tissue structure and function that may be explained by the development of cellular senescence. However, the acquisition of specific phenotypic responses in senescent gingival fibroblasts is still poorly understood. Here, we have analyzed whether proliferation of primary cultures of human gingival fibroblasts may affect different cell functions relevant to cellular senescence and tissue deterioration.MethodsHuman gingival fibroblasts from five young donors were expanded until cellular senescence was achieved. Cellular senescence was evaluated by determining modifications in cell size, cell proliferation, p16 and p21 mRNA levels, H2Ax phosphorylation, cell viability, and senescence‐associated beta‐galactosidase staining. Inflammation was evaluated by analyzing the secretion of cytokines and nuclear translocation of NF‐κB. Collagen remodeling was evaluated using a collagen gel contraction assay. Immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy were used to determine changes in the localization of the cytoskeletal proteins. Data analysis was performed to identify changes between cultures of the same donor at early and late passages using the paired sample t test or the Wilcoxon matched‐pairs signed‐rank test.ResultsLate passage cells showed changes compatible with cellular senescence that included increased cell size, reduced cell proliferation, staining for SA‐beta gal, phosphorylated H2Ax, and increased p16 and p21 mRNA levels. Late passage cells showed a decrease in collagen contraction and reduced co‐localization between the cytoskeletal proteins actin and vinculin. Importantly, late passage cells neither demonstrated changes in the secretion of inflammatory cytokines nor NF‐κB activation.ConclusionOur results imply that cytoskeletal changes and inhibition of cell proliferation represent early modifications in the structure and function of senescent gingival fibroblasts that are not coupled with the acquisition of an inflammatory phenotype. Further studies are needed to clarify the impact of different senescence stages during aging of the periodontium.
Examining the efficacy of a self‐administered report form in missing person investigations
Authors: Gabbert Fiona , Tamonyte Donata , Apps Joe , Caso Alessandra , Woolnough Penny , Hope Lorraine , Handscomb Megan , Waterworth Georgina 
Published: January 2020

PurposeThe success of missing person investigations often centres on the quality of information obtained in the early stages. Reliable information can not only inform the search but might also become vital evidence if the case broadens into a criminal investigation relating to a sexual offence, abduction, or even murder. In addition to eliciting high‐quality information, police officers must consider that those close to the missing person are likely going through a very difficult and stressful time. Across two studies, we developed and tested a self‐administered form (SAI‐MISSING) designed to obtain reliable information that would meaningfully inform a missing person investigation, as well as providing a means for family and friends to be actively involved.MethodsIn Experiment 1, 65 participants were tested individually and asked to provide a description of a person they knew well but had not seen for 24 hr. In the second study, 64 participants were tested in pairs, but immediately separated into different rooms and instructed to imagine that the person they came with has gone missing. In both studies, participants completed either the SAI‐MISSING tool, or a self‐administered control form.ResultsIn Experiment 1, we found that the SAI‐MISSING tool elicited significantly more information regarding physical descriptions and descriptions of clothing and personal effects, than the comparison control form. In Experiment 2, we replicated this finding and further showed that the SAI‐MISSING tool produced higher accuracy rates than the control form.ConclusionsGiven the positive outcomes, potential applications of the tool are discussed.
A review on the status of some major fish species in Lake Victoria and possible conservation strategies
Authors: Outa Nicholas Otieno , Yongo Edwine Omollo , Keyombe James Last A. , Ogello Erick O. , Namwaya Wanjala David 
Published: January 2020

AbstractLake Victoria, the second largest freshwater lake in the world, supports an enormous flora and fauna biomass, with a large human population around the Lake. The lake is a source of food (fish), water for domestic use and crop and livestock production, transportation and tourism, among other uses. As a result of these varied uses, human intervention within the lake and its catchment has resulted in several ecological changes in the lake in recent years, with profound effects on its fish resources. One of the most notable changes is the reduction and risk of extinction of some fish species, including the endemic tilapiine species (Oreochromis esculentus and Oreochromis variabilis), catfishes (Xenoclarias eupogon), haplochromines and cyprinids (Labeo victorianus and Barbus altinialis) in the lake. The reduced biodiversity, as well as extinctions within the lake, has been attributed to the introduction of alien fish species (e.g. Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) into the lake, habitat loss and cultural eutrophication. If left unchecked, these changes will have devastating effects on the lake's resources, as well as to people living around the lake and beyond who depend on the lake fisheries for their livelihood. Thus, there is an urgent need for management measures based on sound scientific research to be implemented in order to curb the loss of ichthyodiversity within the lake, as well as to save the livelihoods of those stakeholders who are either directly or indirectly dependent on the lake.
Postpartum obesity and weight gain among human immunodeficiency virus‐infected and human immunodeficiency virus‐uninfected women in South Africa
Authors: Bengtson Angela M. , Phillips Tamsin K. , le Roux Stanzi M. , Brittain Kirsty , Buba Allison , Abrams Elaine J. , Myer Landon 
Published: January 2020

AbstractIn South Africa, up to 40% of pregnant women are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and 30–45% are obese. However, little is known about the dual burden of HIV and obesity in the postpartum period. In a cohort of HIV‐uninfected and HIV‐infected pregnant women initiating antiretroviral therapy in Cape Town, South Africa, we examined maternal anthropometry (weight and body mass index [BMI]) from 6 weeks through 12 months postpartum. Using multinomial logistic regression, we estimated associations between baseline sociodemographic, clinical, behavioural, and HIV factors and being overweight–obese I (BMI 25 to <35), or obese II‐III (BMI >35), compared with being underweight or normal weight (BMI <25), at 12 months postpartum. Among 877 women, we estimated that 43% of HIV‐infected women and 51% of HIV‐uninfected women were obese I‐III at enrollment into antenatal care, and 51% of women were obese I‐III by 12 months postpartum. On average, both HIV‐infected and HIV‐uninfected women gained, rather than lost, weight between 6 weeks and 12 months postpartum, but HIV‐uninfected women gained more weight (3.3 kg vs. 1.7 kg). Women who were obese I‐III pre‐pregnancy were more likely to gain weight postpartum. In multivariable analyses, HIV‐infection status, being married/cohabitating, higher gravidity, and high blood pressure were independently associated with being obese II‐III at 12 months postpartum. Obesity during pregnancy is a growing public health concern in low‐ and middle‐income countries, including South Africa. Additional research to understand how obesity and HIV infection affect maternal and child health outcomes is urgently needed.
Perceived benefits of the disease: A qualitative study of patients' experiences of heart failure
Authors: Moshki Mahdi , Khajavi Abdoljavad , Minaee Shima , Vakilian Farveh , Hashemizadeh Haydeh 
Published: January 2020

AbstractHeart failure may bring about positive outcomes, which have not been adequately addressed in the literature. Therefore, this qualitative study sought to scrutinize the experiences of patients and the perceived positive effects of heart failure. The opinions of 19 patients with heart failure in Mashhad city (Iran) were collected via semistructured interviews from December 2017 to November 2018. After analyzing the data, six themes were identified by framework analysis: healthy lifestyle, effective interactions, appreciation of life, spirituality, reappraisal of life and priorities, and endurance. Such positive effects may lead to empowerment and better coping of patients with the disease. Therefore, nurses should consider the patients' perception of illness in addition to the disease manifestations and offer training focusing on the possibilities instead of limitations.
Sex as a biological variable in irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Camilleri Michael 
Published: January 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe pathophysiology and mechanisms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) involve both central and peripheral mechanisms that result in altered perception, as well as changes in bowel functions. These dysfunctions are associated with motor, sensory, immune, barrier, and intraluminal perturbations, including the microbiota, and their products and endogenous molecules with bioactive properties. There is evidence that these mechanisms are altered in both females and males. However, there is also increasing evidence that sex is a biological variable that impacts a number of aspects of the mechanisms, epidemiology, and manifestations of IBS.PurposeThe objective of this article is to review the evidence of the differences among genders of the following factors in IBS: the brain‐gut axis and sex hormones, epidemiology, diagnostic criteria and prognosis, pain perception, colonic transit, abdominal distension, overlap with urogynecological conditions, psychologic issues, anorexia, fibromyalgia, serotonin, and responsiveness to treatment of IBS. It is important to consider the variations attributable to sex in order to enhance the management of patients with IBS and the research of mechanisms involved in IBS.
The complete functional characterisation of the terpene synthase family in tomato
Authors: Zhou Fei , Pichersky Eran 
Published: January 2020

Summary

Analysis of the updated reference tomato genome found 34 full‐length TPS genes and 18 TPS pseudogenes.
Biochemical analysis has now identified the catalytic activities of all enzymes encoded by the 34 TPS genes: one isoprene synthase, 10 exclusively or predominantly monoterpene synthases, 17 sesquiterpene synthases and six diterpene synthases. Among the monoterpene and sesquiterpene and diterpene synthases, some use trans‐prenyl diphosphates, some use cis‐prenyl diphosphates and some use both. The isoprene synthase is cytosolic; six monoterpene synthases are plastidic, and four are cytosolic; the sesquiterpene synthases are almost all cytosolic, with the exception of one found in the mitochondria; and three diterpene synthases are found in the plastids, one in the cytosol and two in the mitochondria.
New trans‐prenyltransferases (TPTs) were characterised; together with previously characterised TPTs and cis‐prenyltransferases (CPTs), tomato plants can make all cis and trans C10, C15 and C20 prenyl diphosphates. Every type of plant tissue examined expresses some TPS genes and some TPTs and CPTs.
Phylogenetic comparison of the TPS genes from tomato and Arabidopsis shows expansions in each clade of the TPS gene family in each lineage (and inferred losses), accompanied by changes in subcellular localisations and substrate specificities.
Multidisciplinary education improves school personnel’s self‐efficacy in managing food allergy and anaphylaxis
Authors: Polloni Laura , Baldi Ileana , Lazzarotto Francesca , Bonaguro Roberta , Toniolo Alice , Gregori Dario , Muraro Antonella 
Published: January 2020

AbstractBackgroundDespite a relatively high risk for allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, schools are not sufficiently trained and confident in handling children suffering from food allergy. This study aimed to measure the improvement of school personnel's self‐efficacy in managing food allergy and anaphylaxis at school after a specific multidisciplinary training course.MethodsA total of 592 teachers and school caretakers completed the School Personnel Self‐Efficacy‐Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Questionnaire (S.PER.SE‐FAAQ) before and after the course. The median difference, along with I quartile and III quartile, in scores between baseline and post‐intervention assessment was calculated. A conditional regression tree was fitted for each outcome measured after the educational intervention.ResultsAt baseline, school personnel reported low self‐efficacy in anaphylaxis management (AM), especially in recognizing anaphylaxis symptoms and administering proper drugs. After the specific multidisciplinary training course, all scores improved. AM scores particularly showed a significant increase. School personnel's post‐training self‐efficacy was found to be related to initial levels. Some indicative threshold values emerged. Remarkably, participants with a low self‐efficacy at baseline seemed to particularly benefit from the training.ConclusionsResults highlighted the effectiveness of specific multidisciplinary training courses in improving teachers’ and school caretakers’ self‐efficacy in managing food allergy and anaphylaxis. The S.PER.SE‐FAAQ is confirmed to be an easy and helpful tool to assess the level of food allergy and anaphylaxis management in the school staff and training effectiveness.
[11C]raclopride positron emission tomography study of dopamine‐D2/3 receptor binding in patients with severe major depressive episodes before and after electroconvulsive therapy and compared to control subjects
Authors: Tiger Mikael , Svensson Jonas , Liberg Benny , Saijo Tomoyuki , Schain Martin , Halldin Christer , Farde Lars , Lundberg Johan 
Published: January 2020

AimThe aim of the study was to test: (i) if D2/D3 binding in three functional subsections of striatum is different in patients with severe major depressive episodes than in controls; and (ii) if this difference is normalized after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).MethodsNine inpatients were examined with positron emission tomography (PET) and the radioligand [11C]raclopride before and after an average of 8.4 ECT sessions. Treatment response was assessed using the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale. Nine age‐ and sex‐matched controls were examined twice with PET and [11C]raclopride.Results[11C]raclopride binding was significantly lower in all three subsections of striatum in patients compared to controls (Cohen's dz, 1.14–1.68; P = 0.003–0.027). Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Ratings decreased significantly after ECT (P < 0.001; Cohen's dz, 2.9). ECT had no statistically significant effect on [11C]raclopride binding, although post‐ECT binding estimates were more similar to those obtained in controls in all subsections of striatum.ConclusionUsing PET and [11C]raclopride, we found support for the notion that severe major depressive episodes are associated with significantly lower dopamine D2/D3 binding in all three subsections of striatum compared to controls. We noted no significant effect on D2/D3 binding in the patient group after response to ECT.
Contemporary outcomes of the pediatric kidney transplant program in Johannesburg, South Africa, between 2004 and 2017: Better or not—And which way forward?
Authors: Mshumpela Cleopatra N. , Loveland Jerome , Botha Rene , Britz Russel , Levy Cecil , Maher Heather , Withers Aletha , Fabian June , Botha Jean 
Published: January 2020

AbstractBackgroundOutcomes for the pediatric kidney transplant program in Johannesburg (1984‐2003) were found to be suboptimal. In this study, we compared (a) early (era 1:1984‐2003) to contemporary (era 2:2004‐2017) outcomes and (b) compared contemporary outcomes between the public and private sector hospitals in our program.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective record review of all pediatric (<18 years) KA transplants performed in our kidney transplant program at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) and Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC) from 2004 to 2017. We collected the following data per site: number of recipients, transplants performed, mean follow‐up time, and grafts lost; per recipient: age at time of transplant, sex, self‐reported population group; transplant history; donor type; etiology of ESKD; recipient and graft survival. Outcomes for era 1 were based on data published on our kidney transplant program, based at CMJAH.ResultsAt CMJAH (public sector), there was no improvement in recipient and graft survival over time. In the contemporary analysis, 1‐, 5‐, and 10‐year recipient survival, as % (95% CI) was 93 (84‐97); 76 (64‐84); 59 (44‐70) for CMJAH, and 98 (90‐99); 95 (86‐99); 82 (54‐94) for WDGMC (private sector). Similarly, 1‐, 5‐ and 10‐year graft survival was 75 (63‐84); 55 (42‐66); 36 (24‐49) for CMJAH, and 96 (87‐99); 84 (73‐91); 64 (48‐76) at WDGMC.ConclusionContemporary outcomes for the pediatric kidney transplant program at WDGMC are comparable to outcomes achieved in middle‐ and high‐income settings. However, outcomes at CMJAH are suboptimal, reflecting numerous health system, infrastructural and human resource challenges.
Chewing ability and oral health‐related quality of life in frail elders after new complete dentures insertion: A paired controlled clinical trial
Authors: Figueredo Olívia Maria Costa , Câmara‐Souza Mariana Barbosa , Carletti Talita Malini , Rodrigues Garcia Renata Cunha Matheus 
Published: January 2020

AbstractAimsTo compare the effect of new complete dentures (CDs) on self‐perceived masticatory ability (MA) and oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) in frail and nonfrail elders.Methods and resultsTwenty completely edentulous elders were assigned to two groups: frail and nonfrail (n = 10/each). MA was evaluated using a visual analogue scale. OHRQoL was assessed with the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP‐Edent). Variables were evaluated with volunteers wearing their old and unsatisfactory CDs. Then, a new set of CDs was manufactured and all outcomes were reassessed 2 months after the insertion. Data were analyzed by repeated measures’ analyses of variance and Tukey tests. MA for lettuce and peanuts was improved (P < .05) for the frail group after new CD insertion. Psychological discomfort and handicap OHIP‐Edent domain improved (P < .05) for both groups after prosthetic treatment. Before treatment, controls reported greater psychological discomfort than the frail group. Meanwhile, the handicap domain score of frail patients improved to a level similar to that of the nonfrail group after treatment. Regardless of frailty, elders showed better MA scores for most food types after treatment and decreased OHIP‐Edent domain values.ConclusionSelf‐reported MA and OHRQoL of frail elderly people were greatly improved after new CD use.
Public policy and programs – Missing links in growing home dialysis in the United States
Authors: Abra Graham , Schiller Brigitte 
Published: January 2020

AbstractPatients with end‐stage kidney disease (ESKD) require dialysis or a kidney transplant for survival and over 760 000 patients now benefit from these therapies in the United States. Dialysis in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s was often done in the home. After the advent of Medicare coverage for ESKD in 1972 and the subsequent easier access to center based hemodialysis, the use of home modalities dramatically declined. This stands in contrast to home dialysis uptake in other industrialized healthcare systems where both peritoneal dialysis and home hemodialysis are more frequently used. Characteristics unique to the US healthcare system as well as the cultures of providers (physicians and dialysis providers) and recipients of ESKD care are hypothesized as the main reasons for observed differences in home dialysis use. To address these issues, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have recently proposed new payment programs under an Executive Order from the President of the United States, with the explicit goal of increasing the number of patients using home dialysis. This perspective outlines policy opportunities and programs with a proven track record of home dialysis growth in other countries or hypothesized promise based on identified barriers and needs.
Inference under pivotal sampling: Properties, variance estimation, and application to tesselation for spatial sampling
Authors: Chauvet Guillaume , Le Gleut Ronan 
Published: January 2020

AbstractUnequal probability sampling is commonly used for sample selection. In the context of spatial sampling, the variables of interest often present a positive spatial correlation, so that it is intuitively relevant to select spatially balanced samples. In this article, we study the properties of pivotal sampling and propose an application to tesselation for spatial sampling. We also propose a simple conservative variance estimator. We show that the proposed sampling design is spatially well balanced, with good statistical properties and is computationally very efficient.
Hypothesis testing for quantitative trait locus effects in both location and scale in genetic backcross studies
Authors: Liu Guanfu , Li Pengfei , Liu Yukun , Pu Xiaolong 
Published: January 2020

AbstractTesting the existence of a quantitative trait locus (QTL) effect is an important task in QTL mapping studies. Most studies concentrate on the case where the phenotype distributions of different QTL groups follow normal distributions with the same unknown variance. In this paper we make a more general assumption that the phenotype distributions come from a location‐scale distribution family. We derive the limiting distribution of the likelihood ratio test (LRT) for the existence of the QTL effect in both location and scale in genetic backcross studies. We further identify an explicit representation for this limiting distribution. As a complement, we study the limiting distribution of the LRT and its explicit representation for the existence of the QTL effect in the location only. The asymptotic properties of the LRTs under a local alternative are also investigated. Simulation studies are used to evaluate the asymptotic results, and a real‐data example is included for
illustration.