bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Vascular dysfunction elicited by a cross talk between periaortic adipose tissue and the vascular wall is reversed by pioglitazone
Authors: Quesada Isabel , Cejas Jimena , García Rodrigo , Cannizzo Beatriz , Redondo Analía , Castro Claudia 
Published: February 2018

SummaryAimPerivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is in intimate contact with the vessel wall and extravascular PVAT‐derived inflammatory mediators may adversely influence atherosclerotic plaque formation and stability through outside‐to‐inside signaling. We sought to investigate the role of PVAT on the atheroma development in an experimental animal model of metabolic syndrome (MS) associated with oxidative stress and low‐grade inflammatory state. We also studied the effect of pioglitazone an insulin sensitizer, on the aortic wall and its surrounding PVAT, considering a bi‐directional communication between both layers.MethodsApolipoprotein E‐deficient mice (ApoE−/−) were fed with standard diet (CD, control diet) or fructose overload (10% w/v) (FD, fructose diet) for 8 weeks and treated with or without pioglitazone the latest 4 weeks.ResultsBiochemical variables show that glycemia and lipid peroxidation determined by thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) significantly increased in FD‐fed ApoE−/−mice. FD significantly increased aortic PVAT expression of oxidative stress associated genes: p22phox, Nox1, Nox2, Nox4 and p47phox, and proinflammatory genes: Visfatin, MCP‐1, and MMP‐9. Pioglitazone diminished PVAT‐oxidative damage elicited by fructose treatment and markedly down‐regulated proinflammatory markers. Even pioglitazone did not prevent the development of the aortic atheroma plaques stimulated by FD, significantly diminished VCAM‐1 expression, MMP‐9 expression and activity in aortic media wall and significantly reduced the accumulation of lipids and macrophages in atheroma plaques.ConclusionOur results support the fact that PVAT contributes to the development and progression of cardiovascular disease by underlying mechanisms elicited by “outside‐in” signaling. Treatment with pioglitazone may offer a new effect on the whole vessel wall, promoting the stability of advanced atherosclerotic plaques.
Change in ALT levels after administration of HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitors to subjects with pretreatment levels three times the upper normal limit in clinical practice
Authors: Kim Hyunah , Lee Hyeseon , Kim Tong Min , Yang So Jung , Baik Seo Yeon , Lee Seung‐Hwan , Cho Jae‐Hyoung , Lee Hyunyong , Yim Hyeon Woo , Choi In Young , Yoon Kun‐Ho , Kim Hun‐Sung 
Published: February 2018

SummaryAimPrescription of statins to patients with chronic liver disease whose alanine transaminase (ALT) is over three times the upper normal limit (UNL) is not recommended. In this study, we attempted to evaluate patients with baseline ALT levels > 3 × UNL who were prescribed statins without ethical problems, using electronic medical records.MethodsWe enrolled subjects with ALT levels > 3 × UNL. The patients were divided into three groups consisting of those who had been taking agents affecting liver function (HEPA) and continued to do so after the statin prescription (HepCon), those who had not previously taken HEPA and began doing so after statin prescription (HepNew), and those who had never taken HEPA (HepNo). All ALT levels were determined within 3 months of statins administration, and changes were monitored.ResultsFrom January 2009 to December 2012, 61 patients with baseline ALT levels > 3 × UNL were prescribed statins for the first time. During the 3‐month ALT monitoring, levels of the HepCon, HepNew, and HepNo groups decreased by 45 ± 8%, 64 ± 10%, and 42 ± 8%, respectively; however, intergroup differences were not significant (P = .386). All the subjects who were administered statins showed improvement or maintained their ALT levels, except for two subjects, which showed deterioration. However, the ALT levels of the two subjects subsequently remained stable.ConclusionIt is not clear whether it is safe to prescribe statins to patients with ALT > 3 times the UNL. Our study showed that prescription of statins in combination with HEPA did not cause deleterious effects, suggesting that ALT levels > 3 times the UNL do not have harmful effects.
Apportioning bacterial carbon source utilization in soil using 14C isotope analysis of FISH‐targeted bacterial populations sorted by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS): 14C‐FISH‐FACS
Authors: Gougoulias Christos , Meade Andrew , Shaw Liz J. 
Published: February 2018

SummaryAn unresolved need in microbial ecology is methodology to enable quantitative analysis of in situ microbial substrate carbon use at the population level. Here, we evaluated if a novel combination of radiocarbon‐labelled substrate tracing, fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) and fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS) to sort the FISH‐targeted population for quantification of incorporated radioactivity (14C‐FISH‐FACS) can address this need. Our test scenario used FISH probe PSE1284 targeting Pseudomonas spp. (and some Burkholderia spp.) and salicylic acid added to rhizosphere soil. We examined salicylic acid‐14C fate (mineralized, cell‐incorporated, extractable and non‐extractable) and mass balance (0–24 h) and show that the PSE1284 population captured ∼ 50% of the Nycodenz extracted biomass 14C. Analysis of the taxonomic distribution of the salicylic acid biodegradation trait suggested that PSE1284 population success was not due to conservation of this trait but due to competitiveness for the added carbon. Adding 50KBq of 14C sample−1 enabled detection of 14C in the sorted population at ∼ 60–600 times background; a sensitivity which demonstrates potential extension to analysis of rarer/less active populations. Given its sensitivity and compatibility with obtaining a C mass balance, 14C‐FISH‐FACS allows quantitative dissection of C flow within the microbial biomass that has hitherto not been achieved.
How should we estimate diversity in the fossil record? Testing richness estimators using sampling‐standardised discovery curves
Authors: Close Roger A. , Evers Serjoscha W. , Alroy John , Butler Richard J. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractTo infer genuine patterns of biodiversity change in the fossil record, we must be able to accurately estimate relative differences in numbers of taxa (richness) despite considerable variation in sampling between time intervals. Popular subsampling (=interpolation) methods aim to standardise diversity samples by rarefying the data to equal sample size or equal sample completeness (=coverage). Standardising by sample size is misleading because it compresses richness ratios, thereby flattening diversity curves. However, standardising by coverage reconstructs relative richness ratios with high accuracy. Asymptotic richness extrapolators are widely used in ecology, but rarely applied to fossil data. However, a recently developed parametric extrapolation method,TRiPS(True Richness estimation using Poisson Sampling), specifically aims to estimate the true richness of fossil assemblages.Here, we examine the suitability of a range of richness estimators (both interpolators and extrapolators) for fossil datasets, using simulations and a novel method for comparing the performance of richness estimators with empirical data. We constructed sampling‐standardised discovery curves (SSDCs) for two datasets, each spanning 150 years of palaeontological research: Mesozoic dinosaurs at global scale, and Mesozoic–early Cenozoic tetrapods from North America. These approaches reveal how each richness estimator responds to both simulated best‐case and empirical real‐world accumulation of fossil occurrences.We find that extrapolators can only truly standardise diversity data once sampling is sufficient for richness estimates to have asymptoted. Below this point, directly comparing extrapolated estimates derived from samples of different sizes may not accurately reconstruct relative richness ratios. When abundance distributions are not perfectly flat and sampling is moderate to good, but not perfect,TRiPSdoes not extrapolate, because it overestimates binomial sampling probabilities. Coverage‐based interpolators, by contrast, generally yield more stable subsampled diversity estimates, even in the face of dramatic increases in face‐value counts of species richness. Richness estimators that standardise by coverage are among the best currently available methods for reconstructing deep‐time biodiversity patterns. However, we recommend the use of sampling‐standardised discovery curves to understand how biased reporting of fossil occurrences may affect sampling‐standardised diversity estimates.
Genomewide Association Study of Alcohol Dependence and Related Traits in a Thai Population
Authors: Gelernter Joel , Zhou Hang , Nuñez Yaira Z. , Mutirangura Apiwat , Malison Robert T. , Kalayasiri Rasmon 
Published: February 2018

BackgroundAlcohol use (both quantity and dependence) is moderately heritable, and genomewide association studies (GWAS) have identified risk genes in European, African, and Asian populations. The most reproducibly identified risk genes affect alcohol metabolism. Well‐known functional variants at the gene encoding alcohol dehydrogenase B and other alcohol dehydrogenases affect risk in European and African ancestry populations. Similarly, variants mapped to these same genes and a well‐known null variant that maps to the gene that encodes aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) also affect risk in various Asian populations. In this study, we completed the first GWAS for 3 traits related to alcohol use in a Thai population recruited initially for studies of methamphetamine dependence.MethodsAll subjects were evaluated with the Thai version of the Semi‐Structured Assessment for Drug Dependence and Alcoholism (SSADDA). A total of 1,045 subjects were available for analysis. Three traits were analyzed: flushing, maximum number of alcoholic beverages consumed in any lifetime 24‐hour period (“MAXDRINKS”), and DSM‐IV alcohol dependence criterion count. We also conducted a pleiotropy analysis with major depression, the only other psychiatric trait where summary statistics from a large‐scale Asian‐population GWAS are available.ResultsAll 3 traits showed genomewide significant association with variants near ALDH2, with significance ranging from 2.01 × 10−14 (for flushing; lead single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) PTPN11* rs143894582) to pmeta = 5.80 × 10−10 (for alcohol dependence criterion count; lead SNP rs149212747). These lead SNPs flank rs671 and span a region of over a megabase, illustrating the need for prior biological information in identifying the actual effect SNP, rs671. We also identified significant pleiotropy between major depression and flushing.ConclusionsThese results are consistent with prior findings in Asian populations and add new information regarding alcohol use‐depression pleiotropy.
Disentangling the multiple components of anuran diversity associated to different land‐uses in Yungas forests, Argentina
Authors: Pereyra L. C. , Akmentins M. S. , Vaira M. , Moreno C. E. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractNatural habitats have drastically regressed due to rapid changes in land‐use during recent decades, generating a decrease in species diversity. In light of natural habitat destruction worldwide, there is a need to adopt an integrative approach to the study of biodiversity in order to better assess the magnitude of diversity loss in landscapes affected by human intervention. The aim of this study was to assess and compare anuran assemblages under different land‐uses in a subtropical forest of NW Argentina using an integrative view of diversity through different measures. We assessed alpha and beta diversity components for three complementary diversity measures: species richness, functional diversity and phylogenetic diversity in three land‐uses: forest, tobacco and suburban. We carried out generalized linear mixed models with an autocorrelation structure to compare the three diversity measures across the different land‐uses. We also used a beta diversity partitioning method to determine nestedness and turnover processes in taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic dissimilarity. Our results suggest a filtering effect of the land‐uses on the diversity of anuran assemblages in the surveyed area, with an increased loss of anuran diversity in areas with intensified land‐use, such as tobacco monoculture. This study contributes to understand amphibian communities associated to modified habitats in the Southern Andean Yungas forests from Argentina. Our findings highlight the importance of disentangling each diversity component separately to detect more accurately the diversity patterns associated to land‐use change.
Severe maternal morbidity due to sepsis: The burden and preventability of disease in New Zealand
Authors: Lepine Sam , Lawton Beverley , Geller Stacie , Abels Peter , MacDonald Evelyn J. 
Published: February 2018

BackgroundSepsis is a life‐threatening systemic condition that appears to be increasing in the obstetric population. Clinical detection can be difficult and may result in increased morbidity via delays in the continuum of patient care.AimsTo describe the burden of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) caused by sepsis in New Zealand and investigate the potential preventability.MethodsA multidisciplinary expert review panel was established to review cases of obstetric sepsis admitted to intensive care or high‐dependency units over an 18 month span in New Zealand. Cases were then analysed for the characteristics of infection and their preventability.ResultsFifty cases met the inclusion criteria, most commonly due to uterine, respiratory or kidney infection. Fifty per cent (25) of these cases were deemed potentially preventable, predominantly due to delays in diagnosis and treatment.ConclusionsA high index of suspicion, development of early recognition systems and multi‐disciplinary training are recommended to decrease preventable cases of maternal sepsis.
The relation between dietary intake and glaucoma: a systematic review
Authors: Ramdas Wishal D. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractPurposeA common question of patients to their physician is what they can do themselves against glaucoma, except taking their daily medication. However, for ophthalmologists, it is often hard to give their patients an advice on their dietary intake. To help ophthalmologists in answering this question, an overview of the current scientific literature on the association of nutrients with glaucoma is presented.MethodsA comprehensive systematic review was conducted in which articles published up to September 2017 were identified in PubMed and reference lists. Nutrients were categorized into minerals and trace elements, nutrition with antioxidative properties and omega‐fatty acids.ResultsThe literature search revealed a total of 407 articles of which a total of 46 met the inclusion criteria. Most of these articles studied the effect of nutrients on open‐angle glaucoma. Many trace elements have been investigated in the literature, but the most interesting are selenium and iron (both may increase the risk of glaucoma). Investigated nutrients with antioxidative properties and omega‐fatty acids included glutathione, nitric oxide, carotenoids, flavonoids, and omega‐3 and omega‐6 fatty acids. Of these, glutathione, nitric oxide, and flavonoids had a significant protective effect on glaucoma.ConclusionIntake of selenium and iron may increase the risk of glaucoma, though, only few studies have been done on this topic. Nitric oxide present in other dark green leafy vegetables seems to have a beneficial effect on glaucoma. However, the evidence for an association of dietary intake with glaucoma is still not strong. More (longitudinal and randomized clinical trials) studies are required to make the presented findings clinically applicable.
Spectacle use after routine cataract surgery and vision‐related activity limitation
Authors: Farhoudi Daniel B. , Behndig Anders , Mollazadegan Kaziwe , Montan Per , Lundström Mats , Kugelberg Maria 
Published: February 2018

AbstractPurposeTo explore the relationship between acquisition of new spectacles after routine cataract surgery and vision‐related activity limitation (VRAL) postoperatively.MethodsThis cohort study with intervention (survey) included 1329 patients in Sweden who had undergone a second‐eye cataract surgery during March 2013. Data from the Swedish National Cataract Register were used, including evaluations of VRAL through the Catquest‐9SF questionnaire before and 3 months after cataract surgery. Five months after the second‐eye surgery, patients completed another five‐item questionnaire about spectacle use preoperatively and postoperatively including an item on surgeons’ advice about the need for spectacles. These responses were linked to the Rasch‐analysed Catquest‐9SF data to identify correlations with VRAL.ResultsA total of 1239 patients finally participated in the study after excluding those who did not fulfil the inclusion criteria. Patients who were advised about the need for spectacles postoperatively (n = 387) had a greater (p = 0.039) improvement in the postoperative VRAL compared to patients who were not advised (n = 691). Patients who obtained new spectacles postoperatively (n = 512) also had greater improvement (p = 0.032) compared to those who did not (n = 724).ConclusionThe average improvements in the VRAL after surgery were significantly higher for patients who obtained new distance spectacles postoperatively and for patients who were informed about the need for spectacles by their practitioners.
Younger age and in situ duration of peripheral intravenous catheters were risk factors for extravasation in a retrospective paediatric study
Authors: Fonzo‐Christe C , Parron A , Combescure C , Rimensberger PC , Pfister RE , Bonnabry P 
Published: February 2018

AbstractAimEpidemiological data on the incidence and risk factors of extravasation of peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVC) in neonates and children are scarce and that is what this study explored.MethodsThis was a one‐year retrospective study of all neonates and paediatric intensive care patients with at least one recorded PIVC at the Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland, in 2013. The extravasation rate was determined for all patients, including neonates below 28 days, and for all PIVCs. Multivariate analysis of the associated risk factors was performed.ResultsWe analysed 1300 PIVC in 695 paediatric patients with a median age of 1.5 years. The overall extravasation incidence was 17.6% for all patients and 11.7% for PIVC. The overall incidence rate of PIVC extravasation was 4.5 per 100 catheters days, and the risk was highest in the 201 neonates, at 28.4%. The incidence rate four days after insertion of the PIVC was around three times higher than on day one. Neonates and the in situ duration of PIVCs were associated risk factors (p < 0.001).ConclusionExtravasation was frequent and neonates were particularly at risk. Younger age and longer in situ PIVC duration were independent risk factors for extravasation.
Children with cow's milk allergy following an elimination diet had normal growth but relatively low plasma leptin at age two
Authors: Dong Ping , Feng Jing‐jing , Yan Dong‐yong , Lyu Yu‐jing , Xu Xiu 
Published: February 2018

AbstractAimTo assess nutrient intake, growth and nutritional status of infants with cow's milk allergy (CMA) who follow a therapeutic elimination diet since the first few months of life.MethodsSixty infants younger than four months of age with challenge‐proven CMA and 60 healthy age‐matched children were investigated. Anthropometric and body composition (BC) were assessed up to 24 months. Dietary intake was recorded by the parents for three consecutive days before visits at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. Blood albumin, prealbumin, retinol binding protein and metabolic‐related hormones were examined at 24 months.ResultsThe average age at enrolment was 2.9 ± 1.0 months. At the end of the follow‐up, there were no differences in daily milk consumption, nutrient intake, weight and height z scores or BC measures between the groups; however, the plasma leptin level was lower in infants with CMA (1.67 ± 1.03 vs 2.05 ± 1.48) (ng/mL) (p < 0.05) compared to healthy children.ConclusionsChildren with CMA who followed an elimination diet could achieve a normal nutritional status, except for relatively lower plasma leptin levels, at the age of 2. Further studies with larger cohorts and research on the long‐term consequences of these early differences are needed.
Biliary stricture due to a migrated suture after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy
Authors: Noji Takehiro , Kurashima Yo , Nakanishi Yoshitsugu , Asano Toshimichi , Ebihara Yuma , Nakamura Toru , Murakami Soichi , Tsuchikawa Takahiro , Okamura Keisuke , Shichinohe Toshiaki , Mitsuhashi Tomoko , Hirano Satoshi 
Published: February 2018

AbstractBenign biliary strictures have a broad spectrum of etiologies. There have been no reported cases, however, of a biliary stricture secondary to a migrated suture after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG). Here, we report one such case. The patient was a 60‐year‐old man who underwent LDG with Roux‐en‐Y reconstruction for early gastric cancer. Pathology revealed early cancer (T1N0M0) with a curative resection. Two years after LDG, the patient was found to have elevated hepatobiliary enzymes. After further workup, the new diagnosis was invasive cholangiocarcinoma (T2N0M0), and the patient underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy. Intraoperatively, a monofilament nylon suture was found in the center of a biliary stricture; this suture was previously used for duodenal closure during LDG. Histologically, the bile duct with stricture showed chronic inflammation and fibrosis. Despite no evidence of invasive carcinoma on pathology, a small lesion of adenocarcinoma in situ was found in the superior common hepatic duct.
Effects of the use of interactive E‐books by intensive care unit patients' family members: Anxiety, learning performances and perceptions
Authors: Lee Shu‐Yen , Wang Tsae‐Jyy , Hwang Gwo‐Jen , Chang Shao‐Chen 
Published: February 2018

AbstractIn an intensive care unit (ICU), patients' families play a very important role; however, they often lack medical knowledge and are extremely anxious, which could affect their ability to take care of the patients. The effects of giving conventional paper‐based instruction are limited in terms of improving patients' families' understanding of the facilities and the rules in the ICU and in reducing their anxiety. Therefore, in this study, an interactive e‐book was developed to present the nursing education content to ICU patients' family members. An experiment was conducted to compare the learning performances and perceptions of the patients' family members learning with the interactive e‐book and those who learned with the conventional approach. The research results showed that the nursing e‐book significantly improved the learning performances of the ICU patients' family members, although their anxiety was not immediately reduced. Moreover, the family members perceived that the e‐book was useful and easy to use, and generally showed high satisfaction with its use. This reveals the potential of using interactive e‐books to improve the quality of nursing service in hospitals.