bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Carbon forms, nutrients and water velocity filter hydrophyte and riverbank species differently: A trait‐based study
Authors: Lukács Balázs A. , E‐Vojtkó Anna , Erős Tibor , Molnár V. Attila , Szabó Sándor , Götzenberger Lars 
Published: February 2019

AbstractQuestionsThe majority of theories of trait‐based plant community assembly have been developed and tested predominantly in terrestrial ecosystems. Studies investigating the functional trait composition of aquatic plant communities and their relation to environmental determinants remain scarce. Macrophytes are essential components of aquatic ecosystems, and a more detailed knowledge of their trait‐based assembly is crucial for their management. We identified how plant functional traits respond to environmental gradients in streams and rivers.LocationDanube River Catchment, Hungary.MethodsWe studied the processes governing community assembly along major environmental gradients related to carbon‐ and nutrient‐limiting factors as well as physical strain. We used six continuous traits (leaf area, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, seed weight, seed shape, woodiness) and calculated community‐weighted mean and standardised effect size of functional diversity for each community. We then used stepwise regression analyses for each trait along the environmental gradients to test which environmental factors explain the changes in community‐weighted mean and functional diversity. All analyses were conducted for aquatic (hydato‐helophyte) and riverbank species separately.ResultsWe found that the effect of environmental filtering significantly increased toward higher pH, indicating the response of functional traits to carbon limitation. Our results showed trait convergence among riverbank species in rivers with higher productivity. Larger functional diversity (i.e., trait divergence) among hydato‐helophyte species suggests an increase in the diversity of resource acquisition strategies under higher productivity.ConclusionsHere, we have shown that the functional trait distribution of aquatic and riverbank plant communities responds to major environmental drivers related to nutrient and carbon availability. The understanding of how community assembly mechanisms varied along environmental gradients might be useful when proposing future management and restoration plans and actions towards the conservation of the aquatic vegetation in streams and rivers.
The rise of Clostridioides difficile infections and fall of associated mortality in hospitalized advanced cirrhotics
Authors: Rosenblatt Russell , Mehta Amit , Cohen‐Mekelburg Shirley , Shen Nicole , Snell David , Lucero Catherine , Jesudian Arun , Fortune Brett , Crawford Carl V. , Kumar Sonal 
Published: February 2019

AbstractBackground & AimsCirrhotics are at increased risk of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) and its associated high morbidity and mortality. However, the impact of CDI in cirrhotics over time remains unclear. This study analyses prevalence and mortality in CDI in hospitalized patients with advanced cirrhosis over 15 years and identifies trends.MethodsUsing the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 1998 to 2014, 3 049 696 weighted patients with advanced cirrhosis (defined as evidence of decompensation or oesophageal varices) were identified using a validated algorithm of ICD‐9‐CM codes and included in the study. Trends were analysed using Cochran Armitage test and joinpoint regression and compared to the general population. Multivariable logistic regression was performed controlling for risk factors that affect mortality in cirrhotics.ResultsCDI prevalence in advanced cirrhotics increased from 0.8% to 2.6%, annual percent change (APC) 8.8% (compared to 7.6% for the general population), while CDI‐related mortality decreased from 20.7% to 11.3%, APC −3.4% (compared to −2.0% for the general population), from 1998 to 2014. CDI independently increased mortality in advanced cirrhotics (OR 1.47, P < 0.001) and was associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) (OR 2.09, P < 0.001), which itself significantly increased mortality (OR 4.54, P < 0.001). Hepatic encephalopathy and Hispanic ethnicity were interestingly associated with a lower prevalence of CDI.ConclusionsCDI is increasingly common in advanced cirrhotics, but on the contrary, its associated mortality is decreasing. Despite improvements in outcomes in patients with advanced cirrhosis, CDI is associated with an increased mortality, driven by AKI, and therefore, requires aggressive identification and therapy.
Dissimilar responses of fungal and bacterial communities to soil transplantation simulating abrupt climate changes
Authors: Zhao Mengxin , Sun Bo , Wu Linwei , Wang Feng , Wen Chongqing , Wang Mengmeng , Liang Yuting , Hale Lauren , Zhou Jizhong , Yang Yunfeng 
Published: February 2019

AbstractBoth fungi and bacteria play essential roles in regulating soil carbon cycling. To predict future carbon stability, it is imperative to understand their responses to environmental changes, which is subject to large uncertainty. As current global warming is causing range shifts toward higher latitudes, we conducted three reciprocal soil transplantation experiments over large transects in 2005 to simulate abrupt climate changes. Six years after soil transplantation, fungal biomass of transplanted soils showed a general pattern of changes from donor sites to destination, which were more obvious in bare fallow soils than in maize cropped soils. Strikingly, fungal community compositions were clustered by sites, demonstrating that fungi of transplanted soils acclimatized to the destination environment. Several fungal taxa displayed sharp changes in relative abundance, including Podospora, Chaetomium, Mortierella and Phialemonium. In contrast, bacterial communities remained largely unchanged. Consistent with the important role of fungi in affecting soil carbon cycling, 8.1%–10.0% of fungal genes encoding carbon‐decomposing enzymes were significantly (p < 0.01) increased as compared with those from bacteria (5.7%–8.4%). To explain these observations, we found that fungal occupancy across samples was mainly determined by annual average air temperature and rainfall, whereas bacterial occupancy was more closely related to soil conditions, which remained stable 6 years after soil transplantation. Together, these results demonstrate dissimilar response patterns and resource partitioning between fungi and bacteria, which may have considerable consequences for ecosystem‐scale carbon cycling.
The evolutionary history of grey wolf Y chromosomes
Authors: Smeds Linnéa , Kojola Ilpo , Ellegren Hans 
Published: February 2019

AbstractAnalyses of Y chromosome haplotypes uniquely provide a paternal picture of evolutionary histories and offer a very useful contrast to studies based on maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Here we used a bioinformatic approach based on comparison of male and female sequence coverage to identify 4.7 Mb from the grey wolf (Canis lupis) Y chromosome, probably representing most of the male‐specific, nonampliconic sequence from the euchromatic part of the chromosome. We characterized this sequence and then identified ≈1,500 Y‐linked single nucleotide polymorphisms in a sample of 145 resequenced male wolves, including 75 Finnish wolf genomes newly sequenced in this study, and in 24 dogs and eight other canids. We found 53 Y chromosome haplotypes, of which 26 were seen in grey wolves, that clustered in four major haplogroups. All four haplogroups were represented in samples of Finnish wolves, showing that haplogroup lineages were not partitioned on a continental scale. However, regional population structure was indicated because individual haplotypes were never shared between geographically distant areas, and genetically similar haplotypes were only found within the same geographical region. The deepest split between grey wolf haplogroups was estimated to have occurred 125,000 years ago, which is considerably older than recent estimates of the time of divergence of wolf populations. The distribution of dogs in a phylogenetic tree of Y chromosome haplotypes supports multiple domestication events, or wolf paternal introgression, starting 29,000 years ago. We also addressed the disputed origin of a recently founded population of Scandinavian wolves and observed that founding as well as most recent immigrant haplotypes were present in the neighbouring Finnish population, but not in sequenced wolves from elsewhere in the world, or in dogs.
Effects of miRNA‐342‐3p in modulating Hedgehog signaling pathway of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells by down‐regulating Sufu
Authors: Qing Ying , Huang Mengqi , Cao Yingguang , Du Tianfeng , Song Ke 
Published: February 2019

AbstractObjectivePreviously, we have shown that miRNA‐342‐3p was increased during osteogenic differentiation of human umbilical mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) via regulating the sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway. In this study, our objective is to further investigate the role of miRNA‐342‐3p in activation of Shh pathway by targeting suppressor of fused protein (Sufu), a suppressor of transcriptional factor Gli, as well as the potential interaction with transforming growth factor beta (TGF‐β) signaling pathway during osteogenic induction of hUCMSCs.Materials and methodsHUCMSCs that stable overexpression or knockdown of miRNA‐342‐3p were established by infection with lentiviral vectors. mRNA and protein levels of Hedgehog signaling pathway and osteogenic genes were measured by RT‐qPCR and western blot assays. Luciferase reporter assay was performed to test the direct binding site of Sufu 5′UTR targeted by miRNA‐342‐3p.ResultsOverexpression of miRNA‐342‐3p in hUCMSCs enhanced the expression of osteogenic genes by targeting Sufu. And the potential of osteogenic differentiation of hUCMSCs was inhibited while knocking down miRNA‐342‐3p. Meanwhile, induced the TGF‐β expression level was also observed upon overexpressing miRNA‐342‐3p, suggesting activation of TGF‐β signaling pathway was a potential mechanism of miRNA‐342‐3p‐mediated osteogenesis in hUCMSCs.ConclusionsOur findings provide new mechanistic evidence that miRNA‐342‐3p might be a valuable therapeutic target in bone regeneration.
Acute Pain Service: A 10‐Year Experience
Authors: Deni Francesco , Greco Massimiliano , Turi Stefano , Meani Renato , Comotti Laura , Perotti Valeria , Mello Alessandra , Colnaghi Eleonora , Pasculli Nicola , Nardelli Pasquale , Landoni Giovanni , Beretta Luigi 
Published: February 2019

AbstractBackgroundPain management after surgery is crucial to decrease perioperative morbidity and mortality. Acute pain services (APS) are multidisciplinary teams that represent a modern strategy to address pain inside hospitals. The APS defines and applies pain treatment protocols specific for each surgery. To evaluate the performance of the APS at our institute, we performed a large retrospective cohort study focusing on complications of epidural analgesia and IV opiates.MethodsData from the 10 years of activity of the APS were collected. Pain was assessed using the VAS at rest (VASr) and during movement (VASm) at each daily visit; the presence of side effects and complications was also assessed.ResultsA total of 17,913 adult patients were followed by APS during the study period. Epidural analgesia was used in 7,776 cases (43%), while 9,239 (52%) patients used IV patient‐controlled analgesia (PCA). A combination of the 2 was used in 87 patients (0.5%). A total of 456 perineural catheters (2.6%) were placed, while 442 patients(2.5%) used other analgesic techniques. We recorded 163 dural punctures during catheter placement, with no epidural hematoma, epidural abscess, or meningitis, and no permanent modification in sensitive or motor functions.ConclusionsIn our large case series, APS was confirmed safe and effective in treating postoperative pain, using both epidural analgesia and IV PCA with morphine.
Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis of infancy suppressed with cetirizine
Authors: Odyakmaz Demirsoy Evren , Demirsoy Uğur , Ozod Umay , Kiran Rebiay 
Published: February 2019

AbstractEosinophilic pustular folliculitis of infancy is a rare inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent, itchy sterile pustules mainly located on the scalp. Topical agents are mostly effective to suppress the symptoms in the majority of cases. However, systemic agents that are safe for long‐term use are required for patients with widespread or resistant lesions. We present a case with eosinophilic pustular folliculitis of infancy whose disease was suppressed with cetirizine but recurred after ceasing the drug.
A retrospective cohort study to evaluate the development of comorbidities, including psychiatric comorbidities, among a pediatric psoriasis population
Authors: Paller Amy S. , Schenfeld Jennifer , Accortt Neil A. , Kricorian Gregory 
Published: February 2019

AbstractBackground/ObjectiveCompared with the adult psoriasis population, knowledge about the incidence of comorbidities in the pediatric psoriasis population is limited. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and incidence of comorbidities, including psychiatric comorbidities, in patients with pediatric psoriasis.MethodsIn this claims‐based, retrospective cohort study, patients with pediatric psoriasis were matched 1:3 with a nonpsoriasis cohort based on age, sex, and index date (the earliest of inpatient claims or the latter of two outpatient claims).ResultsObesity, serious infection, and juvenile idiopathic arthropathy had higher prevalence and incidence rates in the psoriasis cohort than the nonpsoriasis cohort. Psychiatric comorbidities were also more common in the psoriasis cohort than the nonpsoriasis cohort, as were ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease. Stratifying the psoriasis cohort by disease severity—mild and moderate‐to‐severe—found no differences in incidence rates of comorbidities between the two subsets.ConclusionThe incidence rates of many comorbid conditions were higher for patients with pediatric psoriasis compared with patients without pediatric psoriasis, and similar between patients with moderate‐to‐severe and mild pediatric psoriasis.
Research on the effect and mechanism of antimicrobial peptides HPRP‐A1/A2 work against Toxoplasma gondii infection
Authors: Liu Ran , Ni Yangyue , Song Jingwei , Xu Zhipeng , Qiu Jingfan , Wang Lijuan , Zhu Yuxiao , Huang Yibing , Ji Minjun , Chen Yuxin 
Published: February 2019

SummaryWith increasing antibiotic resistance and drug safety concerns, novel therapeutics are urgently needed. Antimicrobial peptides are promising candidates that could address the spread of multidrug‐resistant pathogens. HPRP‐A1/A2 are known to display antimicrobial activity against gram‐negative bacteria, gram‐positive bacteria and some pathogenic fungi, but whether HPRP‐A1/A2 work on Toxoplasma gondii (T gondii) is unknown. In this study, we found that the viability of tachyzoites that received HPRP‐A1/A2 treatment was significantly decreased, and there was a reduction in the adhesion to and invasion of macrophages by tachyzoites after HPRP‐A1/A2 treatment. HPRP‐A1/A2 damaged the integrity of tachyzoite membranes, as characterized by membrane disorganization in and cytoplasm outflow from tachyzoites. In addition, in vivo injection with HPRP‐A1/A2 resulted in a significantly decreased number of tachyzoites and an accelerated Th1/Tc1 response, and elicited pro‐inflammatory cytokines in T gondii‐infected mice. Furthermore, HPRP‐A1/A2‐treated splenocytes exhibited a significantly increased Tc1/Th1 response, and HPRP‐A1/A2‐stimulated macrophages inhibited the growth of carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl amino ester (CFSE)‐labelled tachyzoites, which had higher TNF‐α/IL‐12 mRNA levels. Altogether, these results imply that HPRP‐A1/A2 are effective against T gondii through damaging the structure of tachyzoites and inducing a protective immune response, which could offer an alternative approach against T gondii infection.
The self‐perceptions of aging were an important factor associated with the quality of life in Chinese elderly with hypertension
Authors: Gu Rong , Zhang Dandan , Jin Xiaohong , Wu Wenya , Hou Yunying , Wu Qing , Wang Xiaohua 
Published: February 2019

BackgroundIn China, quality of life (QOL) of the elderly with hypertension was lower than that of normal elderly and lower self‐perceptions of aging (SPA) in the elderly with chronic diseases have been shown. Previous studies showed that SPA played a key role in QOL of the elderly. We hypothesised that SPA were associated with QOL in Chinese elderly with hypertension, with more negative SPA predicting lower QOL.MethodsA cross‐sectional survey was conducted in one comprehensive hospital, 15 urban community clinics and 22 rural village clinics in Suzhou. In total, 1029 Chinese elderly with hypertension completed the self‐administered questionnaires, including socio‐demographic and clinical characteristics, aging perceptions questionnaire which contained seven dimensions and Medical Outcomes Study 36‐item Short Form Health Survey evaluating QOL which included physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS).ResultsCorrelation analysis between SPA and QOL showed that most dimensions of SPA were correlated with PCS and MCS, except for Emotional Representations not correlated with MCS. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed: the dimensions Timeline Chronic (B = −2.651, P < 0.001), Consequences Negative (B = −2.155, P < 0.001) and Emotional Representations (B = −2.672, P < 0.001) had a negative association with PCS, while Timeline Cyclical (B = 1.401, P = 0.023), Consequences Positive (B = 1.200, P = 0.011) and Control Positive (B = 1.425, P = 0.004) had a positive association with PCS; the dimensions Timeline Cyclical (B = −1.734, P < 0.001) and Consequences Negative (B = −1.646, P < 0.001) had a negative association with MCS, while Timeline Chronic (B = 1.313, P < 0.001), Consequences Positive (B = 0.962, P = 0.012), Control Positive (B = 2.453, P < 0.001) and Control Negative (B = 1.860, P < 0.001) had a positive association with MCS.ConclusionsOur results suggest that negative SPA tended to be associated with lower QOL in Chinese elderly with hypertension. Some measures to improve unhealthy negative SPA should be delivered to improve QOL in Chinese elderly with hypertension.
How Do Intrinsic Motivations, Work‐Related Opportunities, and Well‐Being Shape Bureaucratic Corruptibility?
Authors: Zhang Yahong , Kuo Ming‐feng , Guo Jinyun , Wang Chun‐yuan 
Published: February 2019

AbstractA large body of research focuses on the institutional factors that shape country‐level corruption and the effectiveness of macro‐level anticorruption measures; however, corruption at the individual level remains understudied and thus poorly understood. This article examines the underlying causes of and mechanisms through which individual government bureaucrats engage in corruption. The researchers develop a framework that incorporates intrinsic motivations, work‐related opportunities, and work‐related well‐being to test the ways in which these micro‐level factors shape bureaucrats' propensity to engage in corrupt behaviors (or corruptibility). Using survey data from more than 1,300 Chinese public employees, the authors identify direct and indirect effects on corruptibility and discuss theoretical and practical implications.
Hypothermic storage of porcine zygotes in serum supplemented with chlorogenic acid
Authors: Thi Nguyen Nhien , Hirata Maki , Tanihara Fuminori , Hirano Takayuki , Le Quynh Anh , Nii Masahiro , Otoi Takeshige 
Published: February 2019

ContentsThe current study was conducted to investigate the effects of 100% foetal bovine serum (FBS) and 100% porcine follicular fluid (pFF) as a storage medium on the developmental competence of porcine zygotes stored at 25°C for 24 hr. Moreover, we evaluated the additive effects of chlorogenic acid (CGA) in the storage medium. When in vitro‐produced zygotes were stored at 25°C for 24 hr in tubes containing either tissue culture medium (TCM) 199 supplemented with 1 mg/ml bovine serum albumin (BSA), 100% of FBS or 100% of pFF, the rate of blastocyst formation was significantly higher in 100% of FBS than in BSA‐containing TCM 199. When the effects of CGA supplementation in 100% of FBS on the development of zygotes stored at 25°C for 24 hr was evaluated, more zygotes stored with 50 µM CGA developed to blastocysts compared with the other concentrations of CGA. When the formation date and quality of blastocysts derived from zygotes stored in 100% of FBS supplemented with 50 µM CGA were investigated, the highest ratio of blastocysts formation in the storage group appeared 1 day later than in the non‐stored control group. However, a higher proportion of blastocysts with apoptotic nuclei was observed in the stored group as compared to the non‐stored group. In conclusion, 100% of FBS is available for a short storage medium of porcine zygotes. The supplementation of 50 µM CGA into the storage medium improves the rates of blastocyst formation of zygotes after storage, but the quality of embryos from the stored zygotes remains to be improved.
Processing relative humidity data using discrete Fourier transform to control strain in art objects
Authors: Kupczak Arkadiusz , Jędrychowski Mariusz , Bratasz Łukasz , Łukomski Michał , Kozłowski Roman 
Published: February 2019

AbstractSustainable management of cultural heritage collections requires tools that, on the one hand, quantitatively relate risk of damage to environmental impacts and, on the other hand, can be easily used by conservation professionals and decision makers in heritage buildings or buildings housing collections. This paper explains how continual processing of ambient relative humidity (RH) data monitored in museums or historical buildings is used to assess quantitatively the climate‐induced physical damage risk to art objects. The software continually decomposes RH data into a set of elementary sinusoidal RH fluctuations using discrete Fourier transform. The user needs to provide basic characterisation of objects in the collection. Then each elementary sinusoidal RH fluctuation is transformed, using the precalculated database, into an elementary strain fluctuation experienced by the object. The complete strain history is calculated by the superposition of all elementary strain fluctuations. The risk of damage can be assessed by comparing strain against a critical level selected—the damage criterion. Wooden panels have been selected to illustrate the approach, and its reliability was demonstrated by comparison with the strain versus time histories obtained by full finite element modelling. The proposed approach based on the analysis of moisture response of objects is significant progress to current practices of evaluating climate parameters themselves.
A rare complication of the duodenal diverticulum
Authors: Sugimoto Hiroshi , Fujikawa Aoi , Kishida Akihiro 
Published: February 2019

IntroductionAn 80-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with severe right-sided abdominal pain that had started after her last meal. Physical examination revealed fever (38.6°C) and rebound tenderness in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. The laboratory studies showed a leucocyte count of 11.3×109/L (normal, 3.7–8.0×109/L) and a C-reactive protein level of 2.34 mg/dL (normal, <0.03 mg/dL). There were no other significant findings. A CT scan of the abdomen with contrast revealed retroperitoneal air around a duodenal diverticulum (figures 1 and 2).Figure 1Computed tomography scan of the abdomen with contrast (coronal section). A diverticulum in the second portion of the duodenum (arrow) and retroperitoneal air (asterisk) are shown.Figure 2Computed tomography scan of the abdomen with contrast (axial section). The area with retroperitoneal air (asterisk) is marked.QuestionWhat is the most likely diagnosis and the cause underlying the condition?