bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Image velocimetry and spectral analysis enable quantitative characterization of larval zebrafish gut motility
Authors: Ganz J. , Baker R. P. , Hamilton M. K. , Melancon E. , Diba P. , Eisen J. S. , Parthasarathy R. 
Published: May 2018

AbstractBackgroundNormal gut function requires rhythmic and coordinated movements that are affected by developmental processes, physical and chemical stimuli, and many debilitating diseases. The imaging and characterization of gut motility, especially regarding periodic, propagative contractions driving material transport, are therefore critical goals. Previous image analysis approaches have successfully extracted properties related to the temporal frequency of motility modes, but robust measures of contraction magnitude, especially from in vivo image data, remain challenging to obtain.MethodsWe developed a new image analysis method based on image velocimetry and spectral analysis that reveals temporal characteristics such as frequency and wave propagation speed, while also providing quantitative measures of the amplitude of gut motion.Key ResultsWe validate this approach using several challenges to larval zebrafish, imaged with differential interference contrast microscopy. Both acetylcholine exposure and feeding increase frequency and amplitude of motility. Larvae lacking enteric nervous system gut innervation show the same average motility frequency, but reduced and less variable amplitude compared to wild types.Conclusions & InferencesOur image analysis approach enables insights into gut dynamics in a wide variety of developmental and physiological contexts and can also be extended to analyze other types of cell movements.
Identification of natural variants affecting chlorophyll content dynamics during rice seedling development
Authors: Lin Po‐Chun , Tsai Yu‐Chang , Hsu Sheng‐Kai , Ou Jen‐Hsiang , Liao Chen‐Tuo , Tung Chih‐Wei 
Published: May 2018

AbstractSeedling vigour is an important characteristic in relation to crop growth and yield. Traits such as photosynthetic capacity and chlorophyll content contribute significantly to seedling establishment at the early growth stage in various crop species, including rice. A diverse panel of 227 rice varieties from several countries was evaluated to determine chlorophyll contents at multiple time points during the seedling stage using a soil–plant analysis development (SPAD) meter, a non‐destructive portable device. Using new statistical approaches, several chromosomal regions associated with variations in chlorophyll content in the third leaf at 13, 16 and 19 days after imbibition were detected. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) cluster on the end of chromosome 11 was significantly associated with the onset of leaf senescence. This region was enriched with genes related to cell death and the stress response. We have identified rice germplasm showing delayed‐senescence phenotypes, these could be suitable donors and genetic resources for breeding, and the use of significant SNP markers associated with these traits could enhance the efficiency of their selection in breeding programmes.
Patient‐to‐patient peer mentor support in dialysis: Improving the patient experience
Authors: Bennett Paul N. , St. Clair Russell Jennifer , Atwal Jug , Brown Lashone , Schiller Brigitte 
Published: May 2018

AbstractGreater focus on patient‐reported outcome measures for dialysis patients and an increased patient engagement focus has highlighted a lack of formal patient‐generated strategies. Patient‐to‐patient peer mentoring is one approach that may improve the outcomes for people receiving dialysis. This review aims to synthesize quantitative and qualitative studies investigating dialysis‐associated patient‐to‐patient peer mentor support among adults with chronic kidney disease and end stage kidney disease. Research studies describe the benefits of peer mentor programs in dialysis to include: improved goal setting, decision‐making and increased self‐management. While a variety of program formats exist, a combination of face‐to‐face and telephone peer support models are recommended and formal training of mentors is required. In addition, the formal support of dialysis clinicians, nephrologists and administrators is vital for the success of a dialysis patient‐to‐patient peer mentor program.
Handgrip and knee extension strength as predictors of cancer mortality: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: García‐Hermoso A. , Ramírez‐Vélez R. , Peterson M. D. , Lobelo F. , Cavero‐Redondo I. , Correa‐Bautista J. E. , Martínez‐Vizcaíno V. 
Published: May 2018

The specific role of different strength measures on mortality risk needs to be clarified to gain a better understanding of the clinical importance of different muscle groups, as well as to inform intervention protocols in relation to reducing early mortality. The aim of the systematic review and meta‐analysis was to determine the relationship between muscular strength and risk of cancer mortality. Eligible cohort studies were those that examined the association between muscular strength, as assessed using validated tests, and cancer mortality in healthy youth and adults. The hazard ratio (HR) estimates obtained were pooled using random effects meta‐analysis models. The outcome was cancer mortality assessed using the HR (Cox proportional hazards model). Eleven prospective studies with 1 309 413 participants were included, and 9787 cancer‐specific deaths were reported. Overall, greater handgrip (HR = 0.97, 95% CI, 0.92‐1.02; P = .055; I2 = 18.9%) and knee extension strength (HR = 0.98, 95% CI, 0.95‐1.00; P = .051; I2 = 60.6%) were barely significant associated with reduced risk of cancer mortality. Our study suggests that higher level of muscular strength is not statistically associated with lower risk of cancer mortality.
The Multifaceted Meaning of Sport Psychology Professional Quality of Life
Authors: Quartiroli Alessandro , Etzel Edward F. , Knight Sharon M. , Zakrajsek Rebecca A. 
Published: May 2018

Experienced and senior sport psychology practitioners achieved longevity in effective professional practice by embracing sustainable approaches to their profession, assumed to be influenced by their positive professional quality of life. The aim of this study was to gain insight into how these practitioners defined and attended to their profession-specific quality of life. Utilizing Consensual Qualitative Research method, researchers examined the perceptions and meanings that 20 internationally located practitioners attributed to their Sport Psychology-Professional Quality of Life (SP-PQL). Findings revealed a view of SP-PQL that encompassed five domains: (a) the lived experience of SP-PQL, (b) the nature of the SP profession, (c) SP-PQL as an ongoing journey, (d) deliberate engagement in the SP profession, and (e) the interconnection between the personal and the professional. These practitioners recognized the importance of a positive SP-PQL as a foundation for a positive, effective, and long-lasting career in the field.
Self-Resistance during Muraymycin Biosynthesis: a Complementary Nucleotidyltransferase and Phosphotransferase with Identical Modification Sites and Distinct Temporal Order
Authors: Cui Zheng , Wang Xia-Chang , Liu Xiaodong , Lemke Anke , Koppermann Stefan , Ducho Christian , Rohr Jürgen , Thorson Jon S. , Van Lanen Steven G. 
Published: May 2018

ABSTRACT

Muraymycins are antibacterial natural products from
Streptomyces
spp. that inhibit translocase I (MraY), which is involved in cell wall biosynthesis. Structurally, muraymycins consist of a 5′-
C
-glycyluridine (GlyU) appended to a 5″-amino-5″-deoxyribose (ADR), forming a disaccharide core that is found in several peptidyl nucleoside inhibitors of MraY. For muraymycins, the GlyU-ADR disaccharide is further modified with an aminopropyl-linked peptide to generate the simplest structures, annotated as the muraymycin D series. Two enzymes encoded in the muraymycin biosynthetic gene cluster, Mur29 and Mur28, were functionally assigned
in vitro
as a Mg·ATP-dependent nucleotidyltransferase and a Mg·ATP-dependent phosphotransferase, respectively, both modifying the 3″-OH of the disaccharide. Biochemical characterization revealed that both enzymes can utilize several nucleotide donors as cosubstrates and the acceptor substrate muraymycin also behaves as an inhibitor. Single-substrate kinetic analyses revealed that Mur28 preferentially phosphorylates a synthetic GlyU-ADR disaccharide, a hypothetical biosynthetic precursor of muraymycins, while Mur29 preferentially adenylates the D series of muraymycins. The adenylated or phosphorylated products have significantly reduced (170-fold and 51-fold, respectively) MraY inhibitory activities and reduced antibacterial activities, compared with the respective unmodified muraymycins. The results are consistent with Mur29-catalyzed adenylation and Mur28-catalyzed phosphorylation serving as complementary self-resistance mechanisms, with a distinct temporal order during muraymycin biosynthesis.
Evaluation of the Use of Rectal Swabs for Laboratory Diagnosis of Clostridium difficile Infection
Authors: Jazmati N. , Kirpal E. , Piepenbrock E. , Stelzer Y. , Vehreschild M. J. G. T. , Seifert H. 
Published: May 2018

ABSTRACT

For the diagnosis of
Clostridium difficile
infection (CDI), microbiological testing is almost always accomplished through the analysis of stool specimens. We evaluated the performances of rectal swabs with liquid transport medium (FS) and nylon flocked dry swabs for the detection of
C. difficile
. Additionally, the impact on the diagnostic yield of storing swabs at −80°C for up to 3 months was evaluated. Sixty clinical stool samples positive for
C. difficile
by PCR were used for simulating rectal swabbing. FS and dry swabs were dipped into the stool and tested by PCR directly after swabbing at 1 and 3 months after storage at −80°C. Stool and the liquid medium of FS were additionally tested by a combination of glutamate dehydrogenase antigen (GDH) testing and toxin A/B enzyme immunoassay (EIA), as well as by toxigenic culture (TC). Using dry swabs, the PCR-based detection rate of
C. difficile
was equal to the rate using stool samples (30/30 [100%]), whereas the detection rate in FS was significantly lower (25/30 [83.2%];
P
= 0.019). The sensitivities of FS for detecting
C. difficile
by PCR, TC, GDH testing, and toxin A/B EIA were 83.3%, 85.7%, 88%, and 68.9%, respectively. Storage of swabs at −80°C had no impact on the detection rate. FS cannot replace stool samples in the two-step laboratory diagnosis of CDI, as the sensitivities were too low, probably due to diluting effects of the fecal sample in the liquid medium. For simple PCR-based detection of
C. difficile
, dry swabs proved to be a suitable alternative to the use of stool samples.
Use of verbal autopsy and social autopsy in humanitarian crises
Authors: Thomas Lisa-Marie , D’Ambruoso Lucia , Balabanova Dina 
Published: May 2018

IntroductionTwo billion people live in countries affected by conflict, violence and fragility. These are exceptional situations in which mortality shifts dramatically and in which civil registration and vital statistics systems are often weakened or cease to function. Verbal autopsy and social autopsy (VA and SA) are methods used to assign causes of death and understand the contexts in which these occur, in settings where information is otherwise unavailable. This review sought to explore the use of VA and SA in humanitarian crises, with a focus on how these approaches are used to inform policy and programme responses.MethodsA rapid scoping review was conducted on the use of VA and SA in humanitarian crises in low and middle-income countries since 1991. Drawing on a maximum variation approach, two settings of application (‘application contexts’) were selected and investigated via nine semi-structured expert interviews.ResultsVA can determine causes of death in crisis-affected populations where no other registration system is in place. Combined with SA and active community involvement, these methods can deliver a holistic view of obstacles to seeking and receiving essential healthcare, yielding context-specific information to inform appropriate responses. The contexts in which VA and SA are used require adaptations to standard tools, and new mobile developments in VA raise specific ethical considerations. Furthermore, collecting and sythesising data in a timely, continuous manner, and ensuring coordination and communication between agencies, is important to realise the potential of these approaches.ConclusionVA and SA are valuable research methods to foster evidence-informed responses for populations affected by humanitarian crises. When coordinated and communicated effectively, data generated through these methods can help to identify levels, causes and circumstances of deaths among vulnerable groups, and can enable planning and allocating resources effectively, potentially improving health system resilience to future crises.
Evaluating the impact of a maternal health voucher programme on service use before and after the introduction of free maternity services in Kenya: a quasi-experimental study
Authors: Dennis Mardieh L , Abuya Timothy , Campbell Oona Maeve Renee , Benova Lenka , Baschieri Angela , Quartagno Matteo , Bellows Benjamin 
Published: May 2018

IntroductionFrom 2006 to 2016, the Government of Kenya implemented a reproductive health voucher programme in select counties, providing poor women subsidised access to public and private sector care. In June 2013, the government introduced a policy calling for free maternity services to be provided in all public facilities. The concurrent implementation of these interventions presents an opportunity to provide new insights into how users adapt to a changing health financing and service provision landscape.MethodsWe used data from three cross-sectional surveys to assess changes over time in use of 4+ antenatal care visits, facility delivery, postnatal care and maternal healthcare across the continuum among a sample of predominantly poor women in six counties. We conducted a difference-in-differences analysis to estimate the impact of the voucher programme on these outcomes, and whether programme impact changed after free maternity services were introduced.ResultsBetween the preintervention/roll-out phase and full implementation, the voucher programme was associated with a 5.5% greater absolute increase in use of facility delivery and substantial increases in use of the private sector for all services. After free maternity services were introduced, the voucher programme was associated with a 5.7% higher absolute increase in use of the recommended package of maternal health services; however, disparities in access to facility births between voucher and comparison counties declined. Increased use of private sector services by women in voucher counties accounts for their greater access to care across the continuum.ConclusionsOur findings show that the voucher programme is associated with a modest increase in women’s use of the full continuum of maternal health services at the recommended timings after free maternity services were introduced. The greater use of private sector services in voucher counties also suggests that there is need to expand women’s access to acceptable and affordable providers.
Chronic Stress protection for postnatal dEpREssioN prEvention (SERENE): a protocol for an exploratory study
Authors: Tharwat Dahlia , Trousselard Marion , Balès Mélanie , Sutter-Dallay Anne-Laure , Fromage Dominique , Spitz Elisabeth , Dallay Dominique , Harvey Thierry , Welter Eric , Coatleven Frédéric , Cherier Lydie , Teissèdre Frédérique , Pouly Jean-Luc , Dutheil Frédéric , Duffaud Anaïs M 
Published: May 2018

IntroductionThe prevalence of postnatal depression (PND) is significant: reaching up to 20% in the general population. In mechanistic terms, the risk of PND lies in an interaction between a maternal psychophysiological vulnerability and a chronic environmental context of stress. On the one hand, repetition of stressor during pregnancy mimics a chronic stress model that is relevant to the study of the allostatic load and the adaptive mechanisms. On the other hand, vulnerability factors reflect a psychological profile mirroring mindfulness functioning (psychological quality that involves bringing one’s complete and non-judgemental attention to the present experience on a moment-to-moment basis). This psychological resource is linked to protective and resilient psychic functioning. Thus, PND appears to be a relevant model for studying the mechanisms of chronic stress and vulnerability to psychopathologies.In this article, we present the protocol of an ongoing study (started in May 2017).Methods and analysisThe study is being carried out in five maternities and will involve 260 women. We aim to determine the predictive psychobiological factors for PND emergence and to provide a better insight into the mechanisms involved in chronic stress during pregnancy. We use a multidisciplinary approach that encompasses psychological resources and biophysiological and genetic profiles in order to detect relevant vulnerability biomarkers for chronic stress and the development of PND. To do so, each woman will be involved in the study from her first trimester of pregnancy until 12 months postdelivery.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval was obtained from the Ile de France III Ethics Committee, France (2016-A00887-44). We aim to disseminate the findings through international conferences and international peer-reviewed journals.Trial registrationnumberNCT03088319; Pre-results.
Identifying Children with HEreditary Coagulation disorders (iCHEC): a protocol for a prospective cohort study
Authors: Stokhuijzen Eva , Rand Margaret L , Cnossen Marjon H , Biss Tina T , James Paula D , Suijker Monique H , Peters Marjolein , van der Lee Johanna H , Peters Bram , Meijer Alexander B , Blanchette Victor S , Fijnvandraat Karin 
Published: May 2018

IntroductionIt is challenging to obtain a reliable bleeding history in children who are referred for a suspected inherited bleeding disorder. Bleeding symptoms may be subtle as children face fewer haemostatic challenges compared with adults. In order to standardise bleeding histories, questionnaires have been developed, called bleeding assessment tools (BATs). Although it has been shown that high bleeding scores are associated with the presence of a mucocutaneous bleeding disorder, these BATs lack sensitivity, efficiency and flexibility in the paediatric setting. We developed a new BAT (the iCHEC (identifying Children with HEreditary Coagulation disorders) BAT) to improve on these characteristics. We aim to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the iCHEC BAT as a screening tool for children who are suspected for having a bleeding disorder.Methods and analysisThis is a prospective cohort study. Children (age 0–18 years) suspected for a bleeding disorder who present at tertiary haematology clinics, and/or their parents/guardians, will be asked to complete the iCHEC BAT. Sensitivity was increased by inclusion of paediatric-specific bleeding symptoms and novel qualitative questions per bleeding symptom. Efficiency was improved by developing a self-administered (online) version of the questionnaire. Flexibility for changes in the bleeding phenotype of developing children was improved by including questions that define when the bleeding symptoms occurred in the past. The diagnostic accuracy of the specific bleeding items will be evaluated by receiver operator characteristic curves, using classification based on the results from laboratory assessment as the reference standard. Analysis of the discriminative power of individual bleeding symptoms will be assessed.Ethics and disseminationThe study has been approved by the medical ethics committees of all participating centres in the Netherlands, Canada and the UK. All paediatric subjects and/or their parents/guardians will provide written informed consent. Study results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
Measuring outcome differences associated with STEMI screening and diagnostic performance: a multicentred retrospective cohort study protocol
Authors: Yiadom Maame Yaa A B , Mumma Bryn E , Baugh Christopher W , Patterson Brian W , Mills Angela M , Salazar Gilberto , Tanski Mary , Jenkins Cathy A , Vogus Timothy J , Miller Karen F , Jackson Brittney E , Lehmann Christoph U , Dorner Stephen C , West Jennifer L , Wang Thomas J , Collins Sean P , Dittus Robert S , Bernard Gordon R , Storrow Alan B , Liu Dandan 
Published: May 2018

IntroductionAdvances in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) management have involved improving the clinical processes connecting patients with timely emergency cardiovascular care. Screening upon emergency department (ED) arrival for an early ECG to diagnose STEMI, however, is not optimal for all patients. In addition, the degree to which timely screening and diagnosis are associated with improved time to intervention and postpercutaneous coronary intervention outcomes, under more contemporary practice conditions, is not known.MethodsWe present the methods for a retrospective multicentre cohort study anticipated to include 1220 patients across seven EDs to (1) evaluate the relationship between timely screening and diagnosis with treatment and postintervention clinical outcomes; (2) introduce novel measures for cross-facility performance comparisons of screening and diagnostic care team performance including: door-to-screening, door-to-diagnosis and door-to-catheterisation laboratory arrival times and (3) describe the use of electronic health record data in tandem with an existing disease registry.Ethics and disseminationThe completion of this study will provide critical feedback on the quality of screening and diagnostic performance within the contemporary STEMI care pathway that can be used to (1) improve emergency care delivery for patients with STEMI presenting to the ED, (2) present novel metrics for the comparison of screening and diagnostic care and (3) inform the development of screening and diagnostic support tools that could be translated to other care environments. We will disseminate our results via publication and quality performance data sharing with each site. Institutional ethics review approval was received prior to study initiation.