bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Knowledge and health beliefs about gestational diabetes and healthy pregnancy's breastfeeding intention
Authors: Park Seungmi , Lee Jung Lim , In Sun Jang , Kim Youngji 
Published: May 2018

AbstractAims and objectivesIf the knowledge and health beliefs relating to gestational diabetes mellitus during pregnancy are associated with behaviours during pregnancy and lactation, this suggests potential educational interventions.BackgroundsWomen with gestational diabetes mellitus are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes mellitus, and babies with gestational diabetes mellitus incur increased risk of neonatal hypoglycaemia and childhood obesity. Breastfeeding is an effective way to improve maternal and lipid metabolism of gestational diabetes mothers, and to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus after birth, to prevent conception. Nurses have an important role in encouraging mothers to breastfeed for health promotion. The importance of cognitive factors such as knowledge, beliefs and attitudes is emphasised to increase the breastfeeding rate and to improve the quality of breastfeeding for pregnant women. Little research has been undertaken exploring cognitive factors and breastfeeding intention.DesignCross‐sectional descriptive survey in healthy pregnant women.MethodsA questionnaire about gestational diabetes mellitus‐related knowledge and health beliefs of gestational diabetes mellitus management composed of perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers and self‐efficacy was developed by investigators. The association of two predictor variables of interest, gestational diabetes mellitus‐related knowledge and health beliefs of gestational diabetes mellitus management, was tested with the outcome variable, breastfeeding intention, using chi‐square test, t test, ANOVA and multiple logistic regression.ResultsTwo hundred and thirty‐seven of the 250 participants returned questionnaires for a final response rate of 94.8%. Breastfeeding intention after childbirth was associated with stronger perceived benefit, higher levels of self‐efficacy and lower alcohol consumption.ConclusionHistory of drinking and health beliefs such as perceived benefits and self‐efficacy were highly associated with breastfeeding intention relating to gestational diabetes mellitus. Education for breastfeeding in gestational diabetes mellitus mothers should focus upon the benefit of breastfeeding and strengthening self‐efficacy.
Influence of bacterial leaf blight on the photosynthetic characteristics of resistant and susceptible rice
Authors: Hu Hao , Sheng Li , Zhang Guangzhi , Gu Qing , Zheng Kefeng 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThe effect of crop disease on photosynthetic characteristics is important for disease control. Two varieties, Shenzhou 98 and Neiwuyou 8015 with resistance and susceptibility to bacterial leaf blight (BLB), respectively, were selected, and the responses of the net photosynthetic rate (PN) to active photon flux density (PPFD) and intercellular carbon dioxide concentration (Ci), as well as chlorophyll fluorescence, pigments and stomatal resistance (SR), were measured. The results showed that BLB infection greatly decreased the maximum photosynthetic rate (Pmax), light saturation point (LSP), carboxylation efficiency (CE), maximal fluorescence (Fm) and actual photochemical efficiency of PSII (ΦPSII) but increased the light compensation point (LCP) and dark respiratory rate (RD), which suggested that the performance of rice photosynthesis was decreased by BLB infection. The BLB infection had a lower effect on resistant rice Shenzhou 98 than on susceptible rice Neiwuyou 8015. The reduction of pigment and increased SR caused by BLB infection may have resulted in the decline in the photosynthetic rate. Significant effects of the BLB infection were observed on chlorophyll fluorescence Fm and ΦPSII in resistant and susceptible rice. These parameters may be useful for noninvasive monitoring of plant disease considering the negative effect caused by other stresses.
Effect of trapping method on species identification of phlebotomine sandflies by MALDI‐TOF MS protein profiling
Authors: Halada P. , Hlavackova K. , Risueño J. , Berriatua E. , Volf P. , Dvorak V. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract.Sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) (Newstead, 1911) are blood‐feeding insects that transmit human pathogens including Leishmania (Trypanosomatida: Trypanosomatidae) parasites, causative agents of the leishmaniases. To elucidate Leishmania transmission cycles, conclusive identification of vector species is essential. Molecular approaches including matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) protein profiling have recently emerged to complement morphological identification. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the trap type used to collect sandflies, specifically Centers for Disease Control (CDC) light or sticky traps, the two most commonly used in sandfly surveys, on subsequent MALDI‐TOF MS protein profiling. Specimens of five species (Phlebotomus ariasi, Phlebotomus papatasi, Phlebotomus perniciosus, Phlebotomus sergenti, Sergentomyia minuta) collected in periurban and agricultural habitats in southeast Spain were subjected to protein profiling. Acquired protein spectra were queried against an in‐house reference database and their quality assessed to evaluate the trap type effect. The results indicate that trap choice can substantially affect the quality of protein spectra in collected sandflies. Whereas specimens retrieved from light traps produced intense and reproducible spectra that allowed reliable species determination, profiles of specimens from sticky traps were compromised and often did not enable correct identification. Sticky traps should therefore not be used in surveys that deploy MALDI‐TOF MS protein profiling for species identification.
Mixed infections are a critical factor in the treatment of superficial mycoses
Authors: Gawaz A. , Weisel G. 
Published: May 2018

SummarySuperficial fungal infections of the skin, nails and hair are common with Trichophyton rubrum and Candida albicans being the main pathogens. Yet, in some patients, mycological cultures show growth of more than one fungal agent in the same anatomical region. This study analyses prevalence, frequency and fungal agents found in superficial fungal mixed infections and discusses consequences for diagnostics and treatment. Mycological data obtained between January 2006 and December 2015 from clinical specimens from a total cohort of 7733 patients with suspected fungal infections were retrospectively analysed. All specimens were cultured on Sabouraud's dextrose and dermatophyte agar. Patients were included in this study, if more than one fungal species developed in culture. Mixed infections account to 6% of all superficial fungal infections. In more than half of the cases, a combination of dermatophyte and yeast is found, mostly concerning foot lesions. Male patients between 60 and 80 year are most commonly affected (39% of mixed infections). Rare species are found in distinctly higher percentages in fungal mixed infections than in general. Sampling of all regions of suspected fungal infection and cultural proof are essential for purposeful systemic therapy. Delayed treatment of fungal infections may enable secondary co‐infection by species usually considered little pathogenic.
Plant roots redesign the rhizosphere to alter the three‐dimensional physical architecture and water dynamics
Authors: Rabbi Sheikh M. F. , Tighe Matthew K. , Flavel Richard J. , Kaiser Brent N. , Guppy Chris N. , Zhang Xiaoxian , Young Iain M. 
Published: May 2018

Summary

The mechanisms controlling the genesis of rhizosheaths are not well understood, despite their importance in controlling the flux of nutrients and water from soil to root.

Here, we examine the development of rhizosheaths from drought‐tolerant and drought‐sensitive chickpea varieties; focusing on the three‐dimensional characterization of the pore volume (> 16 μm voxel spatial resolution) obtained from X‐ray microtomography, along with the characterization of mucilage and root hairs, and water sorption.

We observe that drought‐tolerant plants generate a larger diameter root, and a greater and more porous mass of rhizosheath, which also has a significantly increased water sorptivity, as compared with bulk soil.

Using lattice Boltzmann simulations of soil permeability, we find that the root activity of both cultivars creates an anisotropic structure in the rhizosphere, in that its ability to conduct water in the radial direction is significantly higher than in the axial direction, especially in the drought‐tolerant cultivar. We suggest that significant differences in rhizosheath architectures are sourced not only by changes in structure of the volumes, but also from root mucilage, and further suggest that breeding for rhizosheath architectures and function may be a potential future avenue for better designing crops in a changing environment.
Effect of phase‐encoding direction on group analysis of resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Mori Yasuo , Miyata Jun , Isobe Masanori , Son Shuraku , Yoshihara Yujiro , Aso Toshihiko , Kouchiyama Takanori , Murai Toshiya , Takahashi Hidehiko 
Published: May 2018

AimEcho‐planar imaging is a common technique used in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI); however, it suffers from image distortion and signal loss because of large susceptibility effects that are related to the phase‐encoding direction of the scan. Despite this relation, the majority of neuroimaging studies has not considered the influence of phase‐encoding direction. Here, we aimed to clarify how phase‐encoding direction can affect the outcome of an fMRI connectivity study of schizophrenia (SCZ).MethodsResting‐state fMRI using anterior to posterior (A–P) and posterior to anterior (P–A) directions was used to examine 25 patients with SCZ and 37 matched healthy controls (HC). We conducted a functional connectivity (FC) analysis using independent component analysis and performed three group comparisons: (i) A–P versus P–A (all participants); (ii) SCZ versus HC for the A–P and P–A datasets; and (iii) the interaction between phase‐encoding direction and participant group.ResultsThe estimated FC differed between the two phase‐encoding directions in areas that were more extensive than those where signal loss has been reported. Although FC in the SCZ group was lower than that in the HC group for both directions, the A–P and P–A conditions did not exhibit the same specific pattern of differences. Further, we observed an interaction between participant group and the phase‐encoding direction in the left temporoparietal junction and left fusiform gyrus.ConclusionPhase‐encoding direction can influence the results of FC studies. Thus, appropriate selection and documentation of phase‐encoding direction will be important in future resting‐state fMRI studies.
Increase of frontal cerebral blood volume during transcranial magnetic stimulation in depression is related to treatment effectiveness: A pilot study with near‐infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Shinba Toshikazu , Kariya Nobutoshi , Matsuda Saori , Matsuda Hanae , Obara Yusuke 
Published: May 2018

AimAlterations of cerebral blood flow have been reported in studies of depression treated by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). However, the relation between these changes in activity during stimulation and the effectiveness of TMS is not known. The aim of this study was to determine whether changes in frontal cerebral blood volume measured as frontal hemoglobin concentration (fHbC) during TMS are correlated with clinical outcomes of treatment.MethodsFifteen drug‐resistant patients with depression underwent a standard treatment regimen of TMS to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. We recorded fHbC during stimulation at the start and end of the TMS treatment series using near‐infrared spectroscopy. Symptom severity was determined using the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale.ResultsAt the start of the TMS series, fHbC increased during stimulation in a majority of patients with no relation to symptom severity. However, at the end of the series, fHbC increase during stimulation was negatively correlated with the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale score and positively with the score reduction. Patients showing a decreasing response of fHbC during TMS at the end of the series experienced less clinical improvement.ConclusionThese results suggest that the maintenance of frontal activation during stimulation in the course of TMS series is related to the effectiveness in the treatment of depression. Measurement of fHbC during stimulation is informative in the clinical use of TMS.
Safety and efficacy from a 6‐week double‐blind study and a 52‐week open‐label extension of aripiprazole in adolescents with schizophrenia in Japan
Authors: Matsumoto Hideo , Ishigooka Jun , Ono Hiroaki , Tadori Yoshihiro 
Published: May 2018

AimThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of aripiprazole in adolescents with schizophrenia (SCZ) in Japan.MethodsIn a 6‐week, randomized, double‐blind, dose‐comparison study, adolescents (aged 13–17 years) with SCZ were randomized to receive aripiprazole 2, 6–12, or 24–30 mg/day. Patients who completed the 6‐week study participated in a 52‐week, flexible‐dose, open‐label extension (OLE) study of aripiprazole (initial dose: 2 mg/day, maintenance dose: 6–24 mg/day, maximum dose: 30 mg/day).ResultsIn the 6‐week study, the percentage of patients completing treatment was: 77.1% (27/35) for 2 mg/day; 80.0% (24/30) for 6–12 mg/day; and 85.4% (35/41) for 24–30 mg/day. The least squares mean change in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score from baseline to endpoint (primary efficacy endpoint, last observation carried forward) was −19.6 for 2 mg/day, −16.5 for 6–12 mg/day, and − 21.6 for 24–30 mg/day. The most common (≥20% patients in any group) treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAE) were nausea, akathisia, insomnia, and somnolence. Most TEAE were mild or moderate in severity. There were no deaths. In the OLE, 60.3% (41/68) of patients completed treatment, and the PANSS total score decreased by −7.9 from OLE baseline to week 52. The most common (≥20% patients) TEAE were nasopharyngitis and somnolence. Most TEAE were mild or moderate in severity. There were no deaths.ConclusionThese study results suggest that aripiprazole would be safe and well tolerated in both short‐ and long‐term treatment for adolescents with SCZ in Japan.
Basinal setting and origin of thick (1·8 km) mass‐flow dominated Grand Conglomérat diamictites, Kamoa, Democratic Republic of Congo: Resolving climate and tectonic controls during Neoproterozoic glaciations
Authors: Kennedy Kirsten , Eyles Nicholas , Broughton David 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThe Kamoa sub‐basin, in the south‐eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is a rift basin that hosts a world‐class stratiform copper deposit at the base of a very thick (1·8 km) succession of matrix‐supported conglomerates (diamictite) (Grand Conglomérat Formation) that has been interpreted by some as the product of deposition in the aftermath of a planet‐wide glaciation. Newly available subsurface data consisting of more than 300 km of drill core throws new light on the origin of diamictite and associated facies types, and their tectonic, basinal and palaeoclimatic setting. Initiation of rifting is recorded by a lowermost subaqueous succession of fault‐related mass flow conglomerates and breccias (the ‘Poudingue’) with interdigitating coeval and succeeding sandstone turbidites (Mwashya Subgroup). Overlying diamictites of the Grand Conglomérat were deposited as subaqueous debrites produced by mixing and homogenization of antecedent breccias and gravel from the Poudingue and Mwashya sediments with basinal muds. Failure of over‐steepened basin margins and debris flow was likely to be triggered by faulting and seismic activity, and was accompanied by syn‐depositional subaqueous basaltic magmatism recorded by peperites and pillow lavas within diamictites. The thickness of diamictites reflects recurring phases of faulting, volcanism and rapid subsidence allowing continued accommodation of rapidly deposited resedimented facies well below wave base. A distal or indirect, glacial influence in the form of rare dropstones and striated clasts is evident, but tectonically‐driven mass flow destroyed any primary record of glacial climate originally present in basin margin sediments. Such basin margin settings were common during Rodinia rifting and their stratigraphy and facies record a dominant tectonic, rather than climatic, control on sedimentation. Deposition occurred on tectonic timescales inconsistent with a Snowball Earth model for Neoproterozoic diamictites involving a direct glacial contribution to deposition.
Specification testing in nonparametric AR‐ARCH models
Authors: Hušková Marie , Neumeyer Natalie , Niebuhr Tobias , Selk Leonie 
Published: May 2018

AbstractIn this paper, an autoregressive time series model with conditional heteroscedasticity is considered, where both conditional mean and conditional variance function are modeled nonparametrically. Tests for the model assumption of independence of innovations from past time series values are suggested. Tests based on weighted L2‐distances of empirical characteristic functions are considered as well as a Cramér–von Mises‐type test. The asymptotic distributions under the null hypothesis of independence are derived, and the consistency against fixed alternatives is shown. A smooth autoregressive residual bootstrap procedure is suggested, and its performance is shown in a simulation study.
LFR is functionally associated with AS2 to mediate leaf development in Arabidopsis
Authors: Lin Xiaowei , Gu Dandan , Zhao Hongtao , Peng Yue , Zhang Guofang , Yuan Tingting , Li Mengge , Wang Zhijuan , Wang Xiutang , Cui Sujuan 
Published: May 2018

SummaryLeaves are essential organs for plants. We previously identified a functional gene possibly encoding a component of the SWI/SNF complex named Leaf and Flower Related (LFR) in Arabidopsis thaliana. Loss‐of‐function mutants of LFR displayed obvious defects in leaf morphogenesis, indicating its vital role in leaf development. Here an allelic null mutant of ASYMMETRIC LEAVES2 (AS2), as2‐6, was isolated as an enhancer of lfr‐1 in petiole length, vasculature pattern and leaf margin development. The lfr as2 double‐mutants showed enhanced ectopic expression of BREVIPEDICELLUS (BP) compared with each of the single‐mutants, which is consistent with their synergistic genetic enhancement in multiple BP‐dependent development processes. Moreover, LFR and several putative subunits of the SWI/SNF complex interacted physically with AS2. LFR associated with BP chromatin in an AS1–AS2‐dependent manner to promote the nucleosome occupancy for appropriate BP repression in leaves. Taken together, our findings reveal that LFR and the SWI/SNF complex play roles in leaf development at least partly by repressing BP transcription as interacting factors of AS2, which expounds our understanding of BP repression at the chromatin structure level in leaf development.
Clinical Effects and Safety of Electroacupuncture for the Treatment of Post-Stroke Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials
Authors: Li Xue-bin , Wang Jie , Xu An-ding , Huang Jian-min , Meng Lan-Qing , Huang Rui-Ya , Xu Jing 
Published: May 2018

Objective The aim of this systematic review was to assess the efficacy/effectiveness and safety of electroacupuncture (EA) in the treatment of post-stroke depression (PSD). Methods A comprehensive literature search in the Pubmed, Embase, CENTRAL, ISI Web of Science, CNKI and Wanfang databases was conducted, and all relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were screened for eligibility by two independent reviewers. The Cochrane Collaboration's tool and Jadad score were used to assess the risk of bias of included studies, and only RCTs scoring ≥3 were included in a meta-analysis. Results 18 RCTs involving a total of 813 participants (mean age 61.6 years) in the EA groups and 723 participants (mean age 61.9 years) in the control groups were included. The included studies had an average 3 point Jadad score. PSD was diagnosed according to the Chinese Classification of Cerebrovascular Disease (CCCD) and the Chinese Classification of Mental Disease (CCMD) criteria. There was no significant difference between EA and antidepressants (fluoxetine 10–40 mg/day, citalopram 20 mg/day, sertraline 50 mg/day) in terms of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) scores at week 4 after treatment (standardised mean difference (SMD) −0.11, 95% CI −0.31 to 0.10), at week 6 after treatment (SMD 0.04, 95% CI −0.43 to 0.51) or at week 8 after treatment (SMD −0.01, 95% CI −0.23 to 0.22). However, the combined incidence of adverse events in the EA groups was significantly lower than in the antidepressant groups (RR 0.21, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.33). Conclusion There was no significant difference between EA and antidepressants in the severity of depression, however EA caused fewer adverse events than antidepressants. Additional larger scale RCTs with rigorous study design are required.
In vivo confocal microscopy indicates an inverse relationship between the sub-basal corneal plexus and the conjunctivalisation in patients with limbal stem cell deficiency
Authors: Caro-Magdaleno Manuel , Alfaro-Juárez Asunción , Montero-Iruzubieta Jesús , Fernández-Palacín Ana , Muñoz-Morales Ana , Castilla-Martino Manuel Alberto , Spínola-Muñoz Consuelo , Rodríguez-de-la-Rúa Enrique 
Published: May 2018

Background/aims
Limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) is characterised by a marked decrease in limbal stem cells. It is classified primarily using subjective slit-lamp observations. In vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) can non-invasively provide objective information on the condition of the limbal niche, the corneal epithelial basal cell density and the corneal sub-basal nerve plexus density (SND). We here used IVCM to evaluate changes in SND to improve LSCD classification.

Methods
We evaluated and classified 38 patients (76 eyes, 44 with LSC and 32 control eyes) using the Rama, López-García and Deng (clinical and confocal) classifications and evaluated the concordance of the confocal and clinical classifications. We constructed a logistic regression model using multivariate analysis to correlate different degrees of conjunctivalisation with IVCM parameters and used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to establish the SND cut-off value with maximum diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.

Results

The classification systems correlated moderately at best (kappa, 0.449). The corneal SND of cases (6469±6295 µm/mm
2
) was less (p<0.001) than in controls (20911±4142 µm/mm
2
). The SND, but not basal cell density, played a protective role against conjunctivalisation (OR, 0.069; 95% CI 0.008–0.619; p=0.01). An SND cut-off value of 17 215 µm/mm
2
yielded a sensitivity and specificity of 95.5% and 90.6%, respectively, for LSCD diagnosis.

Conclusion
The density of the corneal sub-basal nerve plexus was inversely related to conjunctivalisation in LSCD. Further studies are needed to verify this and to elucidate the directionality between these factors.