bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Use of Analgesic and Other Pain‐Relief Drugs to Manage Chronic Low Back Pain: Results from a National Survey
Authors: Gouveia Nélia , Rodrigues Ana , Ramiro Sofia , Eusébio Mónica , Machado Pedro M. , Canhão Helena , Branco Jaime C. 
Published: May 2016

AbstractObjectivesTo analyze and characterize the intake profile of pain‐relief drugs in a population‐based study of adults with chronic low back pain (CLBP).MethodsEpiReumaPt was a cross‐sectional Portuguese population‐based study (10,661 subjects). Self‐reported active CLBP was considered to be low back pain on the day of enrollment and for ≥ 90 days. Prevalence and profile of analgesic intake was characterized among those self‐reporting active CLBP, taking into account the intensity of pain and the World Health Organization (WHO) analgesic ladder. We further investigated whether the presence of active CLBP was a factor independently associated with the intake of analgesics (adjusted for potential confounders).ResultsAmong 1,487 subjects with active CLBP, only 18.7% were using analgesic/pain‐relief drugs. Estimated prevalence was anxiolytics, 14.1%; nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), 12.3%; antidepressants, 10.1%; analgesic, antipyretics, 6.6%; anticonvulsants, 3.4%; central muscle relaxants, 2.6%; and analgesic opioids, 1.6%. Most subjects with severe pain were in the first step of the WHO analgesic ladder: NSAIDs plus anxiolytics (4.6%), NSAIDs plus antidepressants (3.2%), or NSAIDs plus muscle relaxants (2.5%). The presence of active CLBP was significantly associated with the intake of all therapeutic groups: antidepressants (odds ratio [OR] = 12.56; P < 0.001); centrally acting muscle relaxants (OR = 12.01; P < 0.001); anticonvulsants (OR = 9.27; P < 0.001); anxiolytics, sedatives, and hypnotics (OR = 8.86; P < 0.001); NSAIDs (OR = 8.56; P < 0.001); and analgesic opioids (OR = 8.13; P < 0.001).ConclusionAnalgesic/pain‐relief drug intake in patients with active CLBP was very low, even for those with severe pain. The WHO analgesic ladder was carefully followed, with an extremely conservative use of analgesic opioids even for those with severe pain.
Antagonistic Donor Density Effect Conserved in Multiple Enterococcal Conjugative Plasmids
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Arpan , O'Brien Sofie , Frank Kristi L. , Dunny Gary M. , Hu Wei-Shou 
Published: May 2016

ABSTRACT

Enterococcus faecalis
, a common causative agent of hospital-acquired infections, is resistant to many known antibiotics. Its ability to acquire and transfer resistance genes and virulence determinants through conjugative plasmids poses a serious concern for public health. In some cases, induction of transfer of
E. faecalis
plasmids results from peptide pheromones produced by plasmid-free recipient cells, which are sensed by the plasmid-bearing donor cells. These plasmids generally encode an inhibitory peptide that competes with the pheromone and suppresses self-induction of donors. We recently demonstrated that the inhibitor peptide encoded on plasmid pCF10 is part of a unique quorum-sensing system in which it functions as a “self-sensing signal,” reducing the response to the pheromone in a density-dependent fashion. Based on the similarities between regulatory features controlling conjugation in pAD1 and pAM373 and those controlling conjugation in pCF10, we hypothesized that these plasmids are likely to exhibit similar quorum-sensing behaviors. Experimental findings indicate that for both pAD1 and pAM373, high donor densities indeed resulted in decreased induction of the conjugation operon and reduced conjugation frequencies. This effect was restored by the addition of exogenous inhibitor, confirming that the inhibitor serves as an indicator for donor density. Donor density also affects cross-species conjugative plasmid transfer. Based on our experimental results, we propose models for induction and shutdown of the conjugation operon in pAD1 and pAM373.

IMPORTANCE
Enterococcus faecalis
is a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections. Its ability to transfer antibiotic resistance and virulence determinants by sharing its genetic material with other bacteria through direct cell-cell contact via conjugation poses a serious threat. Two antagonistic signaling peptides control the transfer of plasmids pAD1 and pAM373: a peptide pheromone produced by plasmid-free recipients triggers the conjugative transfer in plasmid-containing donors, and an inhibitor peptide encoded on the plasmid and produced by donor cells serves to modulate the donor response in accordance with the relative abundance of donors and recipients. We demonstrate that high donor density reduces the conjugation frequency of both of these plasmids, which is a consequence of increased inhibitor concentration in high-donor-density cultures. While most antibiotic strategies end up selecting resistant strains and disrupting the community balance, manipulating bacterial signaling mechanisms can serve as an alternate strategy to prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance.
Pichia pastoris Exhibits High Viability and a Low Maintenance Energy Requirement at Near-Zero Specific Growth Rates
Authors: Rebnegger Corinna , Vos Tim , Graf Alexandra B. , Valli Minoska , Pronk Jack T. , Daran-Lapujade Pascale , Mattanovich Diethard 
Published: May 2016

ABSTRACTThe yeastPichia pastorisis a widely used host for recombinant protein production. Understanding its physiology at extremely low growth rates is a first step in the direction of decoupling product formation from cellular growth and therefore of biotechnological relevance. Retentostat cultivation is an excellent tool for studying microbes at extremely low specific growth rates but has so far not been implemented forP. pastoris. Retentostat feeding regimes were based on the maintenance energy requirement (mS) and maximum biomass yield on glucose (YX/Smax) estimated from steady-state glucose-limited chemostat cultures. Aerobic retentostat cultivation enabled reproducible, smooth transitions from a specific growth rate (μ) of 0.025 h−1to near-zero specific growth rates (μ < 0.001 h−1). At these near-zero specific growth rates, viability remained at least 97%. The value ofmSat near-zero growth rates was 3.1 ± 0.1 mg glucose per g biomass and h, which was 3-fold lower than themSestimated from faster-growing chemostat cultures. This difference indicated thatP. pastorisreduces its maintenance energy requirement at extremely low μ, a phenomenon not previously observed in eukaryotes. Intracellular levels of glycogen and trehalose increased, while μ progressively declined during retentostat cultivation. Transcriptional reprogramming toward zero growth included the upregulation of many transcription factors as well as stress-related genes and the downregulation of cell cycle genes. This study underlines the relevance of comparative analysis of maintenance energy metabolism, which has an important impact on large-scale industrial processes.IMPORTANCEThe yeastPichia pastorisnaturally lives on trees and can utilize different carbon sources, among them glucose, glycerol, and methanol. In biotechnology, it is widely used for the production of recombinant proteins. For both the understanding of life in its natural habitat and optimized production processes, a better understanding of cell physiology at an extremely low growth rate would be of extraordinary value. Therefore, we have grownP. pastorisin a retentostat, which allows the cultivation of metabolically active cells even at zero growth. Here we reached doubling times as long as 38 days and found thatP. pastorisdecreases its maintenance energy demand 3-fold during very slow growth, which enables it to survive with a much lower substrate supply than baker's yeast.
Oral Administration of Probiotics Inhibits Absorption of the Heavy Metal Cadmium by Protecting the Intestinal Barrier
Authors: Zhai Qixiao , Tian Fengwei , Zhao Jianxin , Zhang Hao , Narbad Arjan , Chen Wei 
Published: May 2016

ABSTRACT

The heavy metal cadmium (Cd) is an environmental pollutant that causes adverse health effects in humans and animals. Our previous work demonstrated that oral administration of probiotics can significantly inhibit Cd absorption in the intestines of mice, but further evidence is needed to gain insights into the related protection mode. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether probiotics can inhibit Cd absorption through routes other than the Cd binding, with a focus on gut barrier protection. In the
in vitro
assay, both the intervention and therapy treatments of
Lactobacillus plantarum
CCFM8610 alleviated Cd-induced cytotoxicity in the human intestinal cell line HT-29 and protected the disruption of tight junctions in the cell monolayers. In a mouse model, probiotics with either good Cd-binding or antioxidative ability increased fecal Cd levels and decreased Cd accumulation in the tissue of Cd-exposed mice. Compared with the Cd-only group, cotreatment with probiotics also reversed the disruption of tight junctions, alleviated inflammation, and decreased the intestinal permeability of mice.
L. plantarum
CCFM8610, a strain with both good Cd binding and antioxidative abilities, exhibited significantly better protection than the other two strains. These results suggest that along with initial intestinal Cd sequestration, probiotics can inhibit Cd absorption by protecting the intestinal barrier, and the protection is related to the alleviation of Cd-induced oxidative stress. A probiotic with both good Cd-binding and antioxidative capacities can be used as a daily supplement for the prevention of oral Cd exposure.

IMPORTANCE
The heavy metal cadmium (Cd) is an environmental pollutant that causes adverse health effects in humans and animals. For the general population, food and drinking water are the main sources of Cd exposure due to the biomagnification of Cd within the food chain; therefore, the intestinal tract is the first organ that is susceptible to Cd contamination. Moreover, Cd exposure causes the disruption of the intestinal barrier and further induces the amplification of Cd absorption. The present study confirms that, along with initial intestinal Cd sequestration, oral administration of probiotics can inhibit Cd absorption by protecting the intestinal barrier. A probiotic with both good Cd-binding and antioxidative capacities can be used as a daily supplement for the prevention of oral Cd exposure.
Response of Vibrio cholerae to Low-Temperature Shifts: CspV Regulation of Type VI Secretion, Biofilm Formation, and Association with Zooplankton
Authors: Townsley Loni , Sison Mangus Marilou P. , Mehic Sanjin , Yildiz Fitnat H. 
Published: May 2016

ABSTRACT

The ability to sense and adapt to temperature fluctuation is critical to the aquatic survival, transmission, and infectivity of
Vibrio cholerae
, the causative agent of the disease cholera. Little information is available on the physiological changes that occur when
V. cholerae
experiences temperature shifts. The genome-wide transcriptional profile of
V. cholerae
upon a shift in human body temperature (37°C) to lower temperatures, 15°C and 25°C, which mimic those found in the aquatic environment, was determined. Differentially expressed genes included those involved in the cold shock response, biofilm formation, type VI secretion, and virulence. Analysis of a mutant lacking the cold shock gene
cspV
, which was upregulated >50-fold upon a low-temperature shift, revealed that it regulates genes involved in biofilm formation and type VI secretion. CspV controls biofilm formation through modulation of the second messenger cyclic diguanylate and regulates type VI-mediated interspecies killing in a temperature-dependent manner. Furthermore, a strain lacking
cspV
had significant defects for attachment and type VI-mediated killing on the surface of the aquatic crustacean
Daphnia magna
. Collectively, these studies reveal that
cspV
is a major regulator of the temperature downshift response and plays an important role in controlling cellular processes crucial to the infectious cycle of
V. cholerae
.

IMPORTANCE
Little is known about how human pathogens respond and adapt to ever-changing parameters of natural habitats outside the human host and how environmental adaptation alters dissemination.
Vibrio cholerae
, the causative agent of the severe diarrheal disease cholera, experiences fluctuations in temperature in its natural aquatic habitats and during the infection process. Furthermore, temperature is a critical environmental signal governing the occurrence of
V. cholerae
and cholera outbreaks. In this study, we showed that
V. cholerae
reprograms its transcriptome in response to fluctuations in temperature, which results in changes to biofilm formation and type VI secretion system activation. These processes in turn impact environmental survival and the virulence potential of this pathogen.
Contribution of Anammox to Nitrogen Removal in Two Temperate Forest Soils
Authors: Xi Dan , Bai Ren , Zhang Limei , Fang Yunting 
Published: May 2016

ABSTRACTAnaerobic ammonium oxidation with nitrite reduction to dinitrogen (termed anammox) has been reported to be an important process for removing fixed nitrogen (N) in marine ecosystems and in some agricultural and wetland soils. However, its importance in upland forest soils has never been quantified. In this study, we evaluated the occurrence of anammox activity in two temperate forest soils collected from northeastern China. With15N-labeled NO3−incubation, we found that the combined potential of the N2production rates of anammox and codenitrification ranged from 0.01 ± 0.01 to 1.2 ± 0.18 nmol N per gram of soil per hour, contributing 0.5% to 14.4% of the total N2production along the soil profile. Denitrification was the main pathway of N2production and accounted for 85.6% to 99.5% of the total N2production. Further labeling experiments with15NH4+and15NO2−indicated that codenitrification was present in the mixed forest soil. Codenitrification and anammox accounted for 2% to 12% and 1% to 7% of the total N2production, respectively. Two anammox species, “CandidatusBrocadia fulgida” and “CandidatusJettenia asiatica,” were detected in this study but in very low abundance (as indicated by thehzsBgene). Our results demonstrated that the anammox process occurs in forest soils, but the contribution to N2loss might be low in these ecosystems. More research is necessary to determine the activities of different N2releasing pathways in different forest soils.IMPORTANCEIn this study, we examined the anammox activity in temperate upland forest soils using the15N isotope technique. We found that the anammox process contributed little to the N2production rate in the studied forest soil. Two anammox organisms, “CandidatusBrocadia fulgida” and “CandidatusJettenia asiatica,” were detected. In addition, we found that codenitrification was another N2production pathway in forest soils. Our results could contribute to the understanding of soil gaseous N losses and microbial controls in forest soils.
Temporal variations of helium isotopes in volcanic gases quantify pre-eruptive refill and pressurization in magma reservoirs: The Mount Etna case
Authors: Paonita Antonio , Caracausi Antonio , Martelli Mauro , Rizzo Andrea L. 
Published: May 2016

Abstract
Two approaches to the challenging aim of forecasting impending eruptions are searching for empirical precursors and developing suitable interpretative models. Here we present high-resolution time series of 3He/4He ratios measured in gases emitted from peripheral vents around Mount Etna volcano (Italy), which revealed variations with strong correlations over both time and a broad spatial scale. The main eruptive episodes are preceded by increases in 3He/4He, making this ratio a unique tracer for monitoring volcanic activity. These features strongly reflect pressurization beneath the volcano due to deep magma influx. We propose a pioneering model that relates the changes in 3He/4He to the time-dependent outflow of volatiles from a magmatic chamber subjected to evolution of its internal pressure due to magma injection. At Mount Etna, the model makes it possible to estimate in near real time key parameters such as the rate of magma input and volume change in deep chamber preceding eruptions, and to compare them with geodetic estimations. This represents an unprecedented use of 3He/4He to obtain quantitative information on the physics of magmatic systems. Volcanoes showing changes of 3He/4He ratio in discharged gases due to unrest episodes are widespread in the world, and therefore we envisage extensive future applications of this approach.
Pre-Mississippian tectonic affinity across the Canada Basin–Arctic margins of Alaska and Canada
Authors: Houseknecht David W. , Connors Christopher D. 
Published: May 2016

Abstract
New and reprocessed seismic reflection data on the Alaskan and Canadian Arctic margins of the Canada Basin, together with geologic constraints from exploration wells and outcrops, reveal structural and stratigraphic relationships in pre-Mississippian rocks that constrain models of Canada Basin opening. Lithostratigraphic age and acoustic character indicate that the Devonian and older passive-margin to foreland-basin succession in the Canadian M’Clure Strait is also found on the central Alaska margin. This succession also displays similar structural geometry and relief as well as deformational age on both margins. Moreover, Middle Devonian to Early Mississippian tectonic vergence—north directed on the central Alaska margin and east directed in the Canadian M’Clure Strait—indicates a common direction of tectonic transport if the two margins were conjugate. All of these observations demonstrate that pre-Mississippian rocks of the Alaskan and Canadian Arctic margins share a common tectonic history of uplift and exhumation and that the two margins were conjugates prior to opening of the Canada Basin.
Pathways between health, education and income in adolescence and adulthood
Authors: Callander Emily J 
Published: May 2016

ObjectiveTo quantify the impact of household income, and physical and mental health in adolescence on education attainment, household income and health status in adulthood.DesignPath analysis and regression models using waves 1–12 of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey.ParticipantsIndividuals aged 17 or 18 in 2001, 52% were males (n=655) and 48% were female (52%). Of those participating in wave 1, five did not respond in wave 12.Main outcome measuresEducation attainment, household income, physical and mental health at age 29/30.ResultsFor females, physical health at age 17/18 was significantly related to level of education attainment at age 29/30 (standardised total effect 0.290, p<0.001), with this influence being greater in magnitude than that of household income at age 17/18 on level of education attainment at age 29/30 (standardised total effect 0.159, p=0.022). Females' physical health at age 17/18 was also significantly related to household income at age 29/30 (standardised total effect 0.09, p=0.018). Both adjusted for initial household income at age 17/18. For males, the total standardised total effect of physical health at age 17/18 had a greater impact than household income at age 17/18 on education attainment at age 29/30 (0.347, p<0.001 for physical health and 0.276, p<0.001 for household income). The OR of achieving a year 12 or higher level of education attainment was 4.72 (95% CI 1.43 to 15.58, p=0.0110) for females with good physical health at age 17/18 and 5.05 (95% CI 1.78 to 14.36, p=0.0024) for males, compared with those with poor physical health at age 17/18.ConclusionsAs physical health in adolescence appears to have a stronger influence on education attainment in adulthood than household income, equity strategies for education attainment should also target those with poor health.
International normative 20 m shuttle run values from 1 142 026 children and youth representing 50 countries
Authors: Tomkinson Grant R , Lang Justin J , Tremblay Mark S , Dale Michael , LeBlanc Allana G , Belanger Kevin , Ortega Francisco B , Léger Luc 
Published: May 2016

ObjectiveTo develop sex-specific and age-specific international norms for the 20 m shuttle run test (20mSRT) in children and youth (aged 9–17 years), and to estimate the prevalence meeting the FITNESSGRAM criterion-referenced standards for healthy cardiorespiratory endurance (CRE).MethodsA systematic review was undertaken to identify papers explicitly reporting descriptive 20mSRT (with 1 min stages) data on children and youth since 1981. Data were included on apparently healthy (free from known disease/injury) 9–17 years old. Following standardisation to a common metric and for protocol differences, pseudo data were generated using Monte Carlo simulation, with population-weighted sex-specific and age-specific normative centiles generated using the Lambda Mu and Sigma (LMS) method. Sex-related and age-related differences were expressed as per cent and standardised differences in means. The prevalence with healthy CRE was estimated using the sex-specific and age-specific FITNESSGRAM criterion-referenced standards for.ResultsNorms were displayed as tabulated centiles and as smoothed centile curves for the 20mSRT using 4 common metrics (speed at the last completed stage, completed stages/minutes, laps and relative). The final data set included 1 142 026 children and youth from 50 countries, extracted from 177 studies. Boys consistently outperformed girls at each age group (mean difference±95% CI: 0.86±0.28 km/h or 0.79±0.20 standardised units), with the magnitude of age-related increase larger for boys than for girls. A higher proportion of boys (mean±95% CI: 67±14%) had healthy CRE than girls (mean±95% CI: 54±17%), with the prevalence of healthy CRE decreasing systematically with age.ConclusionsThis study provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date set of international sex-specific and age-specific 20mSRT norms for children and youth, which have utility for health and fitness screening, profiling, monitoring and surveillance.
Overweight and its associated risk factors among urban school adolescents in Nepal: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Piryani Suneel , Baral Kedar Prasad , Pradhan Bandana , Poudyal Amod Kumar , Piryani Rano Mal 
Published: May 2016

ObjectivesThe prevalence of non-communicable diseases is increasing in Nepal. Overweight and obesity are the major risk factors of many non-communicable diseases. Adolescence is a critical phase for development of overweight and obesity. Risk factors associated with overweight and obesity are not well understood in Nepal. The objective of the study was to identify the factors associated with overweight and obesity among adolescent students.SettingA cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out on higher secondary school students in the Lalitpur sub-metropolitan city, Nepal.ParticipantsA random sample of 360 students aged 16–19 years from eight schools was included in the study.ResultsThe prevalence of overweight among adolescent students was 12.2% (95% CI 8.9 to 15.5). Factors associated with being overweight included being male (adjusted OR (AOR) 2.64, 95% CI 1.18 to 4.88), studying in private school (AOR 2.10, 95% CI 1.03 to 4.28), high socioeconomic status family (AOR 4.77, 95% CI 1.36 to 16.72), watching television for more than 2 h per day (AOR 8.86, 95% CI 3.90 to 20.11), and consuming fruit four times or less per week (AOR 3.13, 95% CI 1.39 to 7.01). There was no statistically significant association between adolescent overweight and age, ethnicity, mother's education level, mother's occupation, number of siblings or family type.ConclusionsSocioeconomic status, watching television for a longer time and consuming less fruit are major risk factors for overweight among adolescents in Nepal. Interventions are needed to increase awareness about the risk factors of adolescent overweight and obesity to decrease prevalence of overweight-associated non-communicable diseases.