bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Patients with inflammatory bowel disease and their treating clinicians have different views regarding diet
Authors: Holt D. Q. , Strauss B. J. , Moore G. T. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractBackgroundDiet and body composition play unclear roles in the pathogenesis, activity and symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Evidence‐based guidance regarding dietary modification in IBD is lacking. We aimed to determine the attitudes of IBD patients and clinicians to diet.MethodsThe present cross‐sectional study comprised an online questionnaire distributed to members of a national IBD patient organisation, assessing demographics, anthropometry, disease phenotype and dietary beliefs. Dietitians, gastroenterologists and surgeons were targeted for a similar questionnaire as a result of membership of national professional bodies.ResultsNine hundred and twenty‐eight patients (72.2% female; mean age 39.5 years; age range 5–91 years) responded. Two‐thirds of the patients had Crohn's disease. The mean reported body mass index was 24.9 kg m–2 and was significantly skewed to the right. Patients who had taken >10 courses of steroids were had a greater probability of being overweight or obese, independent of disease complications. Most patients (71%) assumed that their diet affected their IBD; 61% considered their IBD specialist disregarded the importance of diet. Of the 136 clinicians who responded, the majority felt that diet was a factor in symptoms and intestinal microbiota. More gastroenterologists (44%) than dietitians (17%) considered that diet had a role in the pathogenesis of IBD (P = 0.003). Twenty‐six percent of patients reported receiving dietary advice from their IBD specialist, whereas 98% of gastroenterologists reported advice provision. Patients received diverse advice. Half of the patients followed recommendations provided by a clinician.ConclusionsThe present study demonstrates that IBD patients consider diet to be important in their disease. IBD clinicians from different disciplines have diverse views of the role of diet. Advice given to patients is heterogeneous, often perceived as inadequate and poorly followed.
Evaluation Approaches for Advancing Urban Water Goals
Authors: Renouf Marguerite A. , Kenway Steven J. 
Published: July 2016

SummaryUrban areas (especially cities) are challenged in meeting their direct water needs from local sources. They also exert strain on global water resources through their indirect (virtual) water use. Agencies concerned with urban water management have visions and goals for managing direct water use, but indirect use is only inferred in more global visions for sustainable consumption. There is limited quantification of “urban water performance” at the macro urban scale (whole of city) to monitor progress toward these goals. It is constrained by a lack of clarity about the evaluation approaches that best serve them. We ask, How can the evaluation approaches described in literature advance urban water management goals? We reviewed the utility of eight evaluation approaches, including urban water system modeling, urban metabolism (territorial and mass balance), consumption (life cycle assessment, water footprinting, and input‐output analysis), and complex systems (ecological network analysis and systems dynamics) approaches. We found that urban metabolism based on water mass balance is a core method for generating information to inform current goals for direct urban water use, with potential for being “coupled” with the other approaches. Consumption approaches inform the management of indirect water use. We describe this in a framework for urban water evaluation to give greater clarity to this field and flag the further research that would be needed to progress this. It includes the recommendation to differentiate the evaluation of direct and indirect urban water, but to also interpret them together.
Patient Education Competence Scale for Registered Nurses in Taiwan: Scale development and psychometric validation
Authors: Lin Li‐Ying , Wang Ruey‐Hsia 
Published: July 2016

AbstractAimTo develop a valid and reliable self‐assessment scale that can be used by registered nurses in Taiwan to completely measure their patient education competence.MethodsThe Patient Education Competence Scale for Registered Nurses was developed by using expert reviews, item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, criterion validity, and internal consistency and stability to test the construct validity and instrument stability.ResultsThe exploratory factor analysis of the Patient Education Competence Scale for Registered Nurses from 133 responses revealed 24 items loading on two factors: implementation of patient education and preparation for patient education. The Patient Education Competence Scale for Registered Nurses correlated positively with the Clinical Teaching Competence Inventory. The Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.96 to 0.97 and the test–retest reliability ranged from 0.82 to 0.88.ConclusionThe construct validity and internal consistency reliability of the Patient Education Competence Scale for Registered Nurses were supported. This scale reflected the characteristics of Taiwan's clinical nursing practice and it may be used to assess current patient education competence practice and the need for continuing education and study. However, additional research is needed to refine this scale and increase the possibility of generalizability.
Novel incretin analogues improve autophagy and protect from mitochondrial stress induced by rotenone inSH‐SY5Y cells
Authors: Jalewa Jaishree , Sharma Mohit Kumar , Hölscher Christian 
Published: July 2016

AbstractCurrently, there is no viable treatment available for Parkinson's disease (PD) that stops or reverses disease progression. Interestingly, studies testing the glucagon‐like‐peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) mimetic Exendin‐4 have shown neuroprotective/neurorestorative properties in pre‐clinical tests and in a pilot clinical study ofPD. Incretin analogues were originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes and several are currently on the market. In this study, we tested novel incretin analogues on the dopaminergicSH‐SY5Y neuroblastoma cells against a toxic mitochondrial complex I inhibitor, Rotenone. Here, we investigate for the first time the effects of six different incretin receptor agonists – Liraglutide, D‐Ser2‐Oxyntomodulin, aGLP‐1/GIPDual receptor agonist,dAla(2)‐GIP‐GluPal, Val(8)GLP‐1‐GluPal and exendin‐4. Post‐treatment with doses of 1, 10 or 100 nM of incretin analogues for 12 h increased the survival ofSH‐SY5Y cells treated with 1 μM Rotenone for 12 h. Furthermore, we studied the post‐treatment effect of 100 nM incretin analogues against 1 μM Rotenone stress on apoptosis, mitochondrial stress and autophagy markers. We found significant protective effects of the analogues against Rotenone stress on cell survival and on mitochondrial and autophagy‐associated markers. The novelGLP‐1/GIPDual receptor agonist was superior and effective at a tenfold lower concentration compared to the other analogues. Using the Phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K) inhibitor,LY294002, we further show that the neuroprotective effects are partiallyPI3K‐independent. Our data suggest that the neuroprotective properties exhibited by incretin analogues against Rotenone stress involve enhanced autophagy, increased Akt‐mediated cell survival and amelioration of mitochondrial dysfunction. These mechanisms can explain the neuroprotective effects of incretin analogues reported in clinical trials.imageGLP‐1,GIPand dual incretin receptor agonists showed protective effects inSH‐SY5Y cells treated with the stressor Rotenone. The novelGLP‐1/GIPdual receptor agonist was superior and effective at a tenfold lower concentration compared to the other analogues. The drugs protected the cells from rotenone‐induced impairment in cell growth and Akt activation, mitochondrial damage, impairments of autophagy and apoptotic cell signalling. See paper for details.
Rhetoric or reality? What nurse practitioners do to provide self‐management support in outpatient clinics: an ethnographic study
Authors: ter Maten‐Speksnijder Ada J , Dwarswaard Jolanda , Meurs Pauline L , van Staa AnneLoes 
Published: July 2016

Aims and objectivesTo describe how nurse practitioners enact their role in outpatient consultations, and how this compares to their perception of their responsibility for patients with chronic conditions.BackgroundNurse practitioners working with patients with chronic conditions seek to support them in self‐managing their diseases.DesignAn ethnographic study.MethodsEpisodic participant observations (in total 48 hours) were carried out combined with formal interviews. The study population consisted of a purposive sample of nurse practitioners working in five outpatient clinics related to chronic care in one university medical centre in the Netherlands. Two different types of clinics were selected, namely (1) for patients with episodic flare‐ups and (2) for patients with diseases requiring life‐saving procedures.ResultsThe nurse practitioners perceived the monitoring of patients’ treatment as their main professional responsibility. Four monitoring strategies could be distinguished: ‘assessing health conditions’, ‘connecting with patients’, ‘prioritising treatment in daily living’ and ‘educating patients’.ConclusionWhile nurse practitioners considered building a relationship with their patients of utmost importance, their consultations were mostly based on a conventional medical model of medical history taking. Little attention was paid to the social, psychological and behavioural dimensions of illness. Nurse practitioners in this study seemed quite successful in their extension into medical territory, but moving patients’ illness perceptions to the background was not conducive to self‐management support.Relevance to clinical practiceBy their medical subspecialty expertise, nurse practitioners have a major role in the longitudinal process of the management of chronic diseases’ treatment. Supporting patients to reduce the impact of the disease and its complications requires nurse practitioners to develop new coaching strategies designed to meet patients’ individual needs.
A Model of Financialization of Commodities
Authors: BASAK SULEYMAN , PAVLOVA ANNA 
Published: July 2016

ABSTRACTWe analyze how institutional investors entering commodity futures markets, referred to as the financialization of commodities, affect commodity prices. Institutional investors care about their performance relative to a commodity index. We find that all commodity futures prices, volatilities, and correlations go up with financialization, but more so for index futures than for nonindex futures. The equity‐commodity correlations also increase. We demonstrate how financial markets transmit shocks not only to futures prices but also to commodity spot prices and inventories. Spot prices go up with financialization, and shocks to any index commodity spill over to all storable commodity prices.
On the origin of asexual species by means of hybridization and drift
Authors: Hartfield Matthew 
Published: July 2016

Several species of asexuals appear to have existed for millions of years. This is despite the prevalent view that natural selection is weakened without gene exchange, which should cause these organisms to rapidly go extinct. In theory, one can identify evolutionary long‐lived asexuals from their allelic sequence divergence, also known as the ‘Meselson effect’, which leads to elevated within‐individual diversity. Yet evidence that this phenomenon exists is mixed. Furthermore, several confounding factors can lead to similar outcomes, including the formation of asexual species by hybridization. Disentangling these factors has proved to be tricky, but Ament‐Velásquez et al. (2016) have provided an elegant solution in this issue of Molecular Ecology. They studied transcriptomes and mitochondrial DNA from the Lineus genus of nemertean worms, which contains both sexual and asexual types, to first show that the asexual L. pseudolactus is a hybrid between a sexual and an asexual species. After isolating out diversity arising from this hybridization, they find subsequent evidence for the Meselson effect. This study sets a new standard for differentiating between the complex causes and consequences of asexuality.
Landscape‐scale variation in an anthropogenic factor shapes immune gene variation within a wild population
Authors: Gonzalez‐Quevedo Catalina , Davies Richard G. , Phillips Karl P. , Spurgin Lewis G. , Richardson David S. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractUnderstanding the spatial scale at which selection acts upon adaptive genetic variation in natural populations is fundamental to our understanding of evolutionary ecology, and has important ramifications for conservation. The environmental factors to which individuals of a population are exposed can vary at fine spatial scales, potentially generating localized patterns of adaptation. Here, we compared patterns of neutral and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) variation within an island population of Berthelot's pipit (Anthus berthelotii) to assess whether landscape‐level differences in pathogen‐mediated selection generate fine‐scale spatial structuring in these immune genes. Specifically, we tested for spatial associations between the distribution of avian malaria, and the factors previously shown to influence that distribution, and MHC variation within resident individuals. Although we found no overall genetic structure across the population for either neutral or MHC loci, we did find localized associations between environmental factors and MHC variation. One MHC class I allele (ANBE48) was directly associated with malaria infection risk, while the presence of the ANBE48 and ANBE38 alleles within individuals correlated (positively and negatively, respectively) with distance to the nearest poultry farm, an anthropogenic factor previously shown to be an important determinant of disease distribution in the study population. Our findings highlight the importance of considering small spatial scales when studying the patterns and processes involved in evolution at adaptive loci.
Transforming growth factor‐β activated long non‐coding RNA ATB plays an important role in acute rejection of renal allografts and may impacts the postoperative pharmaceutical immunosuppression therapy
Authors: Qiu Jiang , Chen Yehui , Huang Gang , Zhang Zhi , Chen Lizhong , Na Ning 
Published: July 2016

AbstractAimLong noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are novel intracellular noncoding ribonucleotides regulating the genome and proteome. The lncRNA activated by transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β) (lncRNA‐ATB) was discovered as a prognostic factor in hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric cancer, and colorectal cancer. However, little is known about the role of lncRNA‐ATB in renal transplantation. This study aimed to assess lncRNA‐ATB expression in renal transplant patients with acute kidney injury and explore its role in postoperative pharmaceutical immunosuppression therapy.MethodsWe detected lncRNA‐ATB expression in the kidney biopsies of a cohort of 72 patients with renal allograft rejection and 36 control transplant patients. lncRNA‐ATB were overexpressed from lentiviral vectors in renal cells.ResultsWe found that lncRNA‐ATB was remarkably upregulated in patients with acute rejection compared with controls. Meanwhile, lncRNA‐ATB could influence the kidney cell phenotypes and impact the nephrotoxicity of immunosuppressive drug.ConclusionIn conclusion, lncRNA‐ATB are strongly altered in patients with acute rejection and may serve as a novel biomarker of acute kidney rejection, identifying patients with acute rejection and predicting loss of kidney function.
Variation of DNA methylation patterns associated with gene expression in rice (Oryza sativa) exposed to cadmium
Authors: Feng Sheng Jun , Liu Xue Song , Tao Hua , Tan Shang Kun , Chu Shan Shan , Oono Youko , Zhang Xian Duo , Chen Jian , Yang Zhi Min 
Published: July 2016

AbstractWe report genome‐wide single‐base resolution maps of methylated cytosines and transcriptome change in Cd‐exposed rice. Widespread differences were identified in CG and non‐CG methylation marks between Cd‐exposed and Cd‐free rice genomes. There are 2320 non‐redundant differentially methylated regions detected in the genome. RNA sequencing revealed 2092 DNA methylation‐modified genes differentially expressed under Cd exposure. More genes were found hypermethylated than those hypomethylated in CG, CHH and CHG (where H is A, C or T) contexts in upstream, gene body and downstream regions. Many of the genes were involved in stress response, metal transport and transcription factors. Most of the DNA methylation‐modified genes were transcriptionally altered under Cd stress. A subset of loss of function mutants defective in DNA methylation and histone modification activities was used to identify transcript abundance of selected genes. Compared with wide type, mutation of MET1 and DRM2 resulted in general lower transcript levels of the genes under Cd stress. Transcripts of OsIRO2, OsPR1b and Os09g02214 in drm2 were significantly reduced. A commonly used DNA methylation inhibitor 5‐azacytidine was employed to investigate whether DNA demethylation affected physiological consequences. 5‐azacytidine provision decreased general DNA methylation levels of selected genes, but promoted growth of rice seedlings and Cd accumulation in rice plant.
Neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia may predict caregiver burden: a Sicilian exploratory study
Authors: Torrisi Michele , De Cola Maria C. , Marra Angela , De Luca Rosaria , Bramanti Placido , Calabrò Rocco S. 
Published: July 2016

BackgroundBehavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia are very common. They represent a main cause of burden and distress in caregivers and can lead to early institutionalization of patients. We aimed to find the most specific behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia that can strongly affect the caregivers' burden.MethodsTwenty‐seven patients and their caregivers were enrolled in this study. All of the patients were affected by Alzheimer's, vascular, or frontotemporal dementia and were evaluated with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory and Mini‐Mental State Examination. Caregivers were administered the Caregiver Burden Inventory.ResultsApathy, depression, anxiety, and agitation were the most common symptoms and were found in up to 90% of the patients. We detected strong correlations between patient neuropsychiatric symptoms, (i.e. irritability, hallucinations, aberrant motor behavioural, depression, and agitation) and Caregiver Burden Inventory scores. Multiple regression analysis found hallucinations, irritability, and depression to be significant predictors of caregiver burden. Moreover, the Neuropsychiatric Inventory score was more closely related to caregiver burden than the Mini‐Mental State Examination score.ConclusionOur results revealed that demented patients' behavioural problems are related to the level of caregiver burden and distress. Further investigations are needed to differentiate the present findings among dementia subtypes and to better evaluate the effect of caregivers' personal characteristics on their own burden.
Dynamics of biomass partitioning, stem gene expression, cell wall biosynthesis, and sucrose accumulation during development of Sorghum bicolor
Authors: McKinley Brian , Rooney William , Wilkerson Curtis , Mullet John 
Published: July 2016

SummaryBiomass accumulated preferentially in leaves of the sweet sorghum Della until floral initiation, then stems until anthesis, followed by panicles until grain maturity, and apical tillers. Sorghum stem RNA‐seq transcriptome profiles and composition data were collected for approximately 100 days of development beginning at floral initiation. The analysis identified >200 differentially expressed genes involved in stem growth, cell wall biology, and sucrose accumulation. Genes encoding expansins and xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolases were differentially expressed in growing stem internodes. Genes encoding enzymes involved in the synthesis of cellulose, lignin, and glucuronoarabinoxylan were expressed at elevated levels in stems until approximately 7 days before anthesis and then down‐regulated. CESA genes involved in primary and secondary cell wall synthesis showed different temporal patterns of expression. Following floral initiation, the level of sucrose and other non‐structural carbohydrates increased to approximately 50% of the stem's dry weight. Stem sucrose accumulation was inversely correlated with >100‐fold down‐regulation of SbVIN1, a gene encoding a vacuolar invertase. Accumulation of stem sucrose was also correlated with cessation of leaf and stem growth at anthesis, decreased expression of genes involved in stem cell wall synthesis, and approximately 10‐fold lower expression of SbSUS4, a gene encoding sucrose synthase that generates UDP‐glucose from sucrose for cell wall biosynthesis. Genes for mixed linkage glucan synthesis (CSLF) and turnover were expressed at high levels in stems throughout development. Overall, the stem transcription profile resource and the genes and regulatory dynamics identified in this study will be useful for engineering sorghum stem composition for improved conversion to biofuels and bio‐products.
Identification of a residue responsible for UDP‐sugar donor selectivity of a dihydroxybenzoic acid glycosyltransferase from Arabidopsis natural accessions
Authors: Chen Han‐Yi , Li Xu 
Published: July 2016

SummaryUDP‐glycosyltransferase (UGT) plays a major role in the diversity and reactivity of plant specialized metabolites by catalyzing the transfer of the sugar moiety from activated UDP‐sugars to various acceptors. Arabidopsis UGT89A2 was previously identified from a genome‐wide association study as a key factor that affects the differential accumulation of dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA) glycosides in distinct Arabidopsis natural accessions, including Col‐0 and C24. The in vitro enzyme assays indicate that these distinct metabolic phenotypes reflect the divergence of UGT89A2 enzyme properties in the Col‐0 and C24 accessions. UGT89A2 from Col‐0 is highly selective toward UDP‐xylose as the sugar donor, and the isoform from C24 can utilize both UDP‐glucose and UDP‐xylose but with a higher affinity to the glucose donor. The sequences of the two isozymes only differ at six amino acid residues. Examination of these amino acid residues in more natural accessions revealed a strong correlation between the amino acid polymorphism at position 153 and the DHBA glycoside accumulation pattern. Site‐directed mutagenesis that swapped residue 153 between UGT89A2 from Col‐0 and C24 reversed the UDP‐sugar preferences, indicating that residue 153 plays an important role in determining sugar donor specificity of UGT89A2. This study provides insight into the key amino acid changes that confer sugar donor selectivity on UGTs, and demonstrates the usefulness of natural variation in understanding the structure–function relationship of enzymes involved in specialized metabolism.
Continuous and Prolonged Intravenous β-Lactam Dosing: Implications for the Clinical Laboratory
Authors: Grupper Mordechai , Kuti Joseph L. , Nicolau David P. 
Published: July 2016

SUMMARY
Beta-lactam antibiotics serve as a cornerstone in the management of bacterial infections because of their wide spectrum of activity and low toxicity. Since resistance rates among bacteria are continuously on the rise and the pipeline for new antibiotics does not meet this trend, an optimization of current beta-lactam treatment is needed. This review provides an overview of optimization through use of prolonged- and continuous-infusion dosing strategies compared with more traditional intermittent infusions. Included is an overview of the scientific basis for using these nontraditional prolonged- and continuous-infusion-based regimens, with a focus on major areas in which the clinical laboratory can support the clinical use of these regimens.