bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nutritional education for management of osteodystrophy: Impact on serum phosphorus, quality of life, and malnutrition
Authors: Karavetian Mirey , Elzein Hafez , Rizk Rana , Jibai Rime , de Vries Nanne 
Published: February 2016

AbstractIntroduction Osteodystrophy management includes dietary phosphorus restriction, which may limit protein intake, exacerbate malnutrition‐inflammation syndrome and mortality among hemodialysis patients. Methods A multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted in Lebanon, to test the hypothesis that intensive nutrition education focused on phosphorus‐to‐protein balance will improve patient outcomes. Six hemodialysis units were randomly assigned to the trained hospital dietitian (THD) protocol (210 patients). Six others (184 patients) were divided equally according to the patients’ dialysis shifts and assigned to Dedicated Dietitian (DD) and Control protocols. Patients in the THD group received nutrition education from hospital dietitians who were trained by the study team on renal dietetics, but had limited time for hemodialysis patients. Patients in the DD group received individualized nutritional education on dietary phosphorus and protein management for 6 months (2‐hour/patient/month) from study renal dietitians. Patients in the control group continued receiving routine care from hospital dietitians who had limited time for these patients and were blinded to the study. Serum phosphorus (mmol/L), malnutrition‐inflammation score (MIS), health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) index and length of hospital stay (LOS) were assessed at T0 (baseline), T1 (postintervention) and T2 (post6 month follow up). Findings Only the DD protocol significantly improved serum phosphorus (T0:1.78 ± 0.5, T1:1.63 ± 0.46, T2:1.69 ± 0.53), 3 domains of the HRQOL and maintained MIS at T1, but this protective effect resolved at T2. The LOS significantly dropped for all groups. Discussion The presence of competent renal dietitians fully dedicated to hemodialysis units was superior over the other protocols in temporarily improving patient outcomes.
Single nucleotide polymorphisms of TNFAIP3 are associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in Han Chinese population
Authors: Han J.‐W. , Wang Y. , Li H.‐B. , Alateng C. , Bai Y.‐H. , Sun Z.‐Q. , Lv X.‐X. , Wu R.‐N. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryThe polymorphisms of tumour necrosis factor alpha‐induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3) have been found to associate with several autoimmune diseases. This study aimed to explore the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of TNFAIP3 gene with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Han Chinese. Thirty‐two SNPs were genotyped in 284 patients with SLE and 630 controls using the ligation detection reaction (LDR) method. The quality control steps and statistical analyses were performed using the plink 1.07 package and haploview software. We found that 13 SNPs in TNFAIP3 showed significant association with SLE (P < 1.85 × 10−3), and all of them were in high linkage disequilibrium (LD). After conditioning on the SNP rs2230926, other 12 SNPs did not show association (P > 0.27). All 13 SNPs showed most significant association in the dominant model. In haplotype analysis, a long risk SNP haplotype (GCCCGTGTCATGG) showed most significant association (P = 1.00 × 10−4). In conclusion, our data suggest that TNFAIP3 is a susceptible gene for SLE in the Han Chinese population.
Analytical performance evaluation of a high‐volume hematology laboratory utilizing sigma metrics as standard of excellence
Authors: Shaikh M. S. , Moiz B. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryIntroductionAround two‐thirds of important clinical decisions about the management of patients are based on laboratory test results. Clinical laboratories are required to adopt quality control (QC) measures to ensure provision of accurate and precise results. Six sigma is a statistical tool, which provides opportunity to assess performance at the highest level of excellence. The purpose of this study was to assess performance of our hematological parameters on sigma scale in order to identify gaps and hence areas of improvement in patient care.MethodsTwelve analytes included in the study were hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), red blood cell count (RBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), red cell distribution width (RDW), total leukocyte count (TLC) with percentages of neutrophils (Neutr%) and lymphocytes (Lymph %), platelet count (Plt), mean platelet volume (MPV), prothrombin time (PT), and fibrinogen (Fbg). Internal quality control data and external quality assurance survey results were utilized for the calculation of sigma metrics for each analyte.ResultsAcceptable sigma value of ≥3 was obtained for the majority of the analytes included in the analysis. MCV, Plt, and Fbg achieved value of <3 for level 1 (low abnormal) control. PT performed poorly on both level 1 and 2 controls with sigma value of <3.ConclusionsDespite acceptable conventional QC tools, application of sigma metrics can identify analytical deficits and hence prospects for the improvement in clinical laboratories.
Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Do educators assign them a fully human status?
Authors: Capozza Dora , Di Bernardo Gian Antonio , Falvo Rossella , Vianello Renzo , Calò Luca 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThe present research investigates the humanity attributions to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). In three studies, professional educators, who worked in day‐care or community centers, were examined. Humanity attributions were assessed using emotion‐based and trait‐based measures. As expected, individuals with IDD were denied a fully human status: they were perceived as having more non‐uniquely than uniquely human attributes. Furthermore, a lower human status was assigned to individuals with IDD in relation to educators. We also discovered that humanity attributions, but not attitudes, were related to approach/avoidance responses. Altogether, findings show the importance of considering humanity perceptions in the study of social relationships of individuals with IDD. Dehumanizing perceptions can explain the differential treatment these individuals face in various social settings.
Plasticity and evolution in correlated suites of traits
Authors: Fischer E. K. , Ghalambor C. K. , Hoke K. L. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractWhen organisms are faced with new or changing environments, a central challenge is the coordination of adaptive shifts in many different phenotypic traits. Relationships among traits may facilitate or constrain evolutionary responses to selection, depending on whether the direction of selection is aligned or opposed to the pattern of trait correlations. Attempts to predict evolutionary potential in correlated traits generally assume that correlations are stable across time and space; however, increasing evidence suggests that this may not be the case, and flexibility in trait correlations could bias evolutionary trajectories. We examined genetic and environmental influences on variation and covariation in a suite of behavioural traits to understand if and how flexibility in trait correlations influences adaptation to novel environments. We tested the role of genetic and environmental influences on behavioural trait correlations by comparing Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) historically adapted to high‐ and low‐predation environments that were reared under native and non‐native environmental conditions. Both high‐ and low‐predation fish exhibited increased behavioural variance when reared under non‐native vs. native environmental conditions, and rearing in the non‐native environment shifted the major axis of variation among behaviours. Our findings emphasize that trait correlations observed in one population or environment may not predict correlations in another and that environmentally induced plasticity in correlations may bias evolutionary divergence in novel environments.
The Effects of Moisture Content and Loading Orientation on Some Physical and Mechanical Properties of “Tafo Hybrid” and “Amelonado” Cocoa Beans
Authors: Amoah Robert Sarpong , Abano Ernest Ekow , Anyidoho Elliot Kwaku 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThe physical and mechanical properties of the newly released “Tafo Hybrid” and the traditional “Amelonado” cocoa varieties were studied. Quasi‐static uniaxial compressive loads were applied along the lateral and longitudinal axes of the beans after conditioning to moisture contents between 5 and 21% (wb). Moisture‐induced changes in the size of “Tafo Hybrid” (geometric mean diameter 13.085 mm) were statistically not significant (P > 0.05) while those of “Amelonado” (geometric mean diameter 12.884 mm) increased significantly (P = 0.004). The energy absorbed at rupture point increased quadratically from the average of 60–83 mJ as moisture increased from 5 to 21%. In consequence, the rupture force decreased linearly from the average of 136.89–48.58 N. Significantly greater force was required to rupture the beans in the lateral orientation (mean value 131.79 N) compared with the longitudinal loading (mean value 46.58 N). “Tafo Hybrid” cocoa beans possessed higher mechanical strength than “Amelonado.” The effects are discussed in relation to their compressive strength, compressive strain and the apparent modulus at rupture, which showed differential responses to moisture changes.Practical ApplicationsThe study is potentially useful for the design of handling and processing equipment for cocoa beans, especially the newly introduced “Tafo Hybrid” variety whose mechanical properties have not been evaluated. Knowledge of the physical and mechanical properties is particularly needed for the optimal design of grinding machines and determination of the corresponding energy expenditure under varying moisture conditions of the beans.
Growth and Survival of Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bifidobacterium Bifidum in Probiotic Yogurts Enriched by Barberry Extract
Authors: Hassani Mina , Sharifi Akram , Mohammadi Sani Ali , Hassani Bahram 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis study investigated the effect of functional properties of barberry aqueous extract in different concentration of 4 and 5% (w/w) on the growth and survival of probiotic cultures (L. acidophilus, B. bifidum and an equal mixture of the two strains) in the set and stirred yogurt samples. The viable counts of L. acidophilus and B. bifidum in the set and stirred probiotic yogurts containing barberry extract were significantly higher than the control yogurt sample during the storage period. In a single strain of L. acidophilus, the highest viable populations of L. acidophilus in the set and stirred yogurts containing 5% of barberry extract were 1.15 × 108 and 1.1 × 108 on the first day, respectively. Additionally, L. acidophilus counts showed sharp decrease throughout the storage period but its counts held probiotic value of 106 log cfu/gr until Day 21, also the lowest viable count of B. bifidum (9.3 × 105 log cfu/gr) was observed in the control sample at the end of the 21st day in a single strain of B. bifidum.Practical ApplicationsFruit and vegetable extracts are widely incorporated in food flavoring and are recently applied as growth‐stimulators of probiotic bacteria. The findings of this study indicated that probiotic yogurt samples fortified with barberry extract could be used as an adequate carrier of probiotic bacteria with bacterial counts more than the suggested level.
The Moderating Effects of Age on the Relationships of Self‐Compassion, Self‐Esteem, and Mental Health
Authors: Hwang Soodeok , Kim Geunyoung , Yang Jae‐Won , Yang Eunjoo 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis study investigated the interactive effects of self‐compassion, self‐esteem, and age on mental health. Numerous previous studies have found that self‐compassion has a significant positive association with well‐being but most of these studies were conducted with young adults represented by college students. This study extended the previous findings by comparing its distinctive functions in different age groups. A total of 1,813 adults whose age ranged from twenties to fifties (M = 39.28 years, SD = 11.27) completed a questionnaire measuring self‐compassion, self‐esteem, subjective well‐being, and depression. The results of hierarchical regression analysis indicated that the positive relationship between self‐compassion and subjective well‐being was rendered stronger with older adults. In addition, self‐compassion moderated the relationship between self‐esteem and depression regardless of age. These results imply that self‐compassion may be complimentary to self‐esteem in improving mental health, especially for older adults.
Early Psychological Apparatuses Stored in Japan: Imported, Replicated, and Reformed Apparatuses before World War II
Authors: Yoshimura Hirokazu 
Published: February 2016

AbstractA considerable number of classic psychological apparatuses (early apparatuses) are stored in the former Imperial Universities and a few private universities in Japan. Since 2013, the author has been investigating these classic psychological apparatuses as a member of the Historic Document Preservation Committee of the Japanese Psychological Association (JPA). He recently finished the main investigations and found that the classic apparatuses could be divided into three categories: imported products from European and American companies, replicas of the imported products, and reformed products. The latter two categories of apparatuses were made mainly by four Japanese companies, while a considerable number of the imported apparatuses were made by E. Zimmermann's firm. Although the apparatuses made by Japanese companies were not easy to distinguish from each other (i.e., reformed products from replicas), the author identified the existent replicas. Catalogs from domestic and foreign companies contributed considerably to helping him identify the apparatuses in all of the three categories.
Bile ductal injury and ductular reaction are frequent phenomena with different significance in autoimmune hepatitis
Authors: Verdonk Robert C. , Lozano Mallaki F. , van den Berg Aad P. , Gouw Annette S. H. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractBackground & AimsThe significance of bile duct injury and ductular reaction in biopsies from autoimmune hepatitis patients is not clear. We aim to establish the prevalence and clinical relevance of both phenomena in autoimmune hepatitis.MethodsCases of newly diagnosed, untreated autoimmune hepatitis without overlap syndrome were selected. Pretreatment and follow up biopsies were scored for inflammation, fibrosis, bile ductal injury and ductular reaction.ResultsThirty‐five cases were studied of whom 14 cases had follow up biopsies. Bile duct injury was present in 29 cases (83%), mostly in a PBC‐like pattern and was not correlated with demographical or laboratory findings. Ductular reaction, observed in 25 of 35 cases (71%) using conventional histology and in 30 of 32 cases (94%) using immunohistochemistry, was correlated with portal and lobular inflammation, interface hepatitis and centrilobular necrosis as well as bile duct injury and fibrosis. In 11 of 14 cases (79%) ductular reaction remained present on post‐treatment biopsy whereas bile duct injury persisted in six of 14 (43%) of cases.ConclusionsBile duct injury and ductular reaction are very common in newly diagnosed autoimmune hepatitis and cannot be predicted biochemically. Bile duct injury may subside in the majority of treated AIH cases while DR tends to persist during follow up. These findings show that the two phenomena are part of the spectrum of AIH with dissimilar responses to treatment and do not necessarily point towards an overlap syndrome. Persistence of ductular reaction after treatment supports the notion that it represents a regenerative response.
Visually Situated Language Comprehension
Authors: Knoeferle Pia , Guerra Ernesto 
Published: February 2016

AbstractOver the past two decades, ‘visually situated’ language comprehension (the interplay between language comprehension, attention, and non‐linguistic visual context) has emerged as an increasingly active area of research. One important result in this area is that both linguistic and world knowledge, as well as visual cues, can rapidly inform the unfolding interpretation as reflected by comprehenders' eye movements to objects during spoken language comprehension. However, upon closer inspection, temporal delays of object‐directed gaze are not infrequent and emerge for the processing of non‐canonical (vs. canonical) structures, for scalar implicatures and for recently learned world–language associations. While it may further be tempting to assume that the different knowledge sources and visual cues are on a par in guiding visual attention, comprehenders' eye movements in many instances reveal a robust referential priority (more looks go to the referent of a word than to other objects). Should this priority be taken as a trivial observation? In the present article, we argue that the tension between this referential priority and other world–language relations constitutes an important constraint on the linking hypotheses and mechanisms implicated in situated language comprehension and should be considered when conceptualizing models and accounts of visually situated language comprehension.
Alarmone (p)ppGpp regulates the transition from pathogenicity to mutualism in Photorhabdus luminescens
Authors: Bager Ragnhild , Roghanian Mohammad , Gerdes Kenn , Clarke David J. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryThe enteric gamma‐proteobacterium Photorhabdus luminescens kills a wide range of insects, whilst also maintaining a mutualistic relationship with soil nematodes from the family Heterorhabditis. Pathogenicity is associated with bacterial exponential growth, whilst mutualism is associated with post‐exponential (stationary) phase. During post‐exponential growth, P. luminescens also elaborates an extensive secondary metabolism, including production of bioluminescence, antibiotics and pigment. However, the regulatory network that controls the expression of this secondary metabolism is not well understood. The stringent response is a well‐described global regulatory system in bacteria and mediated by the alarmone (p)ppGpp. In this study, we disrupted the genes relA and spoT, encoding the two predicted (p)ppGpp synthases of P. luminescens TTO1, and we showed that (p)ppGpp is required for secondary metabolism. Moreover, we found the (p)ppGpp is not required for pathogenicity of P. luminescens, but is required for bacterial survival within the insect cadaver. Finally, we showed that (p)ppGpp is required for P. luminescens to support normal nematode growth and development. Therefore, the regulatory network that controls the transition from pathogenicity to mutualism in P. luminescens requires (p)ppGpp. This is the first report outlining a role for (p)ppGpp in controlling the outcome of an interaction between a bacteria and its host.
Peripheral nervous system involvement in primary burning mouth syndrome—results of a pilot study
Authors: Puhakka A , Forssell H , Soinila S , Virtanen A , Röyttä M , Laine M , Tenovuo O , Teerijoki‐Oksa T , Jääskeläinen SK 
Published: February 2016

ObjectiveThe pathophysiology of primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS) has remained enigmatic, but recent studies suggest pathology within the nervous system at multiple levels. This study aimed to investigate in detail the contribution of either focal or generalized alterations within the peripheral nervous system (PNS) in the etiopathogenesis of BMS.Subjects and methodsIntraepithelial nerve fiber density (IENFD) of tongue mucosa was assessed in 10 carefully characterized BMS, and the results were compared to 19 age‐ and gender‐matched cadaver controls, 6 with lifetime diabetes. Extensive neurophysiologic and psychophysical examinations of the trigeminal system and distal extremities were performed to profile PNS function in BMS.ResultsPatients with BMS had significantly fewer intraepithelial nerve fibers (0,27, s.e. 0,18 mm−1; P = 0.0253) than non‐diabetic controls (0,92, s.e. 0,15 mm−1). In the subepithelial space, the amount of nerve fibers did not differ between the groups. The majority (9/10) of patients with BMS showed neurophysiologic or psychophysical signs of a more generalized PNS dysfunction.ConclusionsOur results in neurophysiologically optimally characterized BMS patients confirm that pure focal small fiber neuropathy of the oral mucosa has a role in the pathophysiology of primary BMS. Furthermore, BMS may be related to a more generalized, yet subclinical peripheral neuropathy.
Gene‐for‐gene resistance is expressed in cotyledons, leaves and pods, but not during late stages of stem colonization in the Leptosphaeria maculans–Brassica napus pathosystem
Authors: Elliott Vicki L. , Marcroft Steve J. , Howlett Barbara J. , Van de Wouw Angela P. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThe blackleg fungus, Leptosphaeria maculans, interacts with canola (Brassica napus) in a gene‐for‐gene manner. These major resistance genes are well characterized in the seedling stage of development, but not in other plant organs. Cotyledons, leaves, pods and stems of plants of two cultivars of B. napus, each harbouring a different major resistance gene (Rlm1 and Rlm4), were inoculated with two individual L. maculans isolates with different alleles of the corresponding avirulence genes (AvrLm1, avrLm4 and avrLm1, AvrLm4), and the disease phenotype in terms of lesion development was determined. Major gene resistance was expressed in cotyledons, all leaves and during pod set, but not in the stems of the adult plant. This is the first time major gene resistance has been shown to be effective in B. napus pods.
Self‐esteem and caregiving in romantic relationships: Self‐ and partner perceptions
Authors: KNAPP DARIN J. , DURTSCHI JARED A. , CLIFFORD CHARITY E. , KIMMES JONATHAN G. , BARROS‐GOMES PATRICIA , SANDBERG JONATHAN 
Published: February 2016

AbstractSelf‐esteem may be associated with romantic partners' experience of emotional support and caregiving. Using a sample of 6,385 heterosexual couples in committed relationships gathered from the RELATionship Evaluation (RELATE) data set (see www.relate‐institute.org), structural equation modeling was used to compare two actor–partner interdependence models examining the associations between both partners' self‐esteem and perceptions of partner caregiving responsiveness (i.e., accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement). Male and female self‐esteem was significantly related to partners' caregiving responsiveness while controlling for family‐of‐origin attachment experiences and relationship stability. Female self‐esteem was also significantly associated with females' caregiving responsiveness. These findings yield important implications, demonstrating that higher self‐esteem may be associated with improved caregiving behaviors between romantic partners. Relevant implications and future research directions are discussed.