bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Simulation‐based team training for multi‐professional obstetric care teams to improve patient outcome: a multicentre, cluster randomised controlled trial
Authors: Fransen AF , van de Ven J , Schuit E , van Tetering AAC , Mol BW , Oei SG 
Published: October 2016

ObjectiveTo investigate whether simulation‐based obstetric team training in a simulation centre improves patient outcome.DesignMulticentre, open, cluster randomised controlled trial.SettingObstetric units in the Netherlands.PopulationWomen with a singleton pregnancy beyond 24 weeks of gestation.MethodsRandom allocation of obstetric units to a 1‐day, multi‐professional, simulation‐based team training focusing on crew resource management (CRM) in a simulation centre or to no such team training. Intention‐to‐treat analyses were performed at the cluster level, including a measurement 1 year prior to the intervention.Main outcome measuresPrimary outcome was a composite outcome of obstetric complications during the first year post‐intervention, including low Apgar score, severe postpartum haemorrhage, trauma due to shoulder dystocia, eclampsia and hypoxic‐ischaemic encephalopathy. Maternal and perinatal mortality were also registered.ResultsEach study group included 12 units with a median unit size of 1224 women, combining for a total of 28 657 women. In total, 471 medical professionals received the training course. The composite outcome of obstetric complications did not differ between study groups [odds ratio (OR) 1.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80–1.3]. Team training reduced trauma due to shoulder dystocia (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.25–0.99) and increased invasive treatment for severe postpartum haemorrhage (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.2–3.9) compared with no intervention. Other outcomes did not differ between study groups.ConclusionA 1‐day, off‐site, simulation‐based team training, focusing on teamwork skills, did not reduce a composite of obstetric complications.Tweetable abstract1‐day, off‐site, simulation‐based team training did not reduce a composite of obstetric complications.
Do low‐income Cypriots experience food stress? The cost of a healthy food basket relative to guaranteed minimum income in Nicosia, Cyprus
Authors: Chrysostomou Stavri , Andreou Sofia 
Published: October 2016

AimThe aim of the present study was to assess the cost, acceptability and affordability of the healthy food basket (HFB) among low‐income families in Cyprus.Methods
HFBs were constructed based on the National Guidelines for Nutrition and Exercise for six different types of households. Acceptability was tested through focus groups. Affordability was defined as the cost of the HFB as a percentage of the guaranteed minimum income (GMI). The value of the GMI is set to be equal to €480 for a single individual and increases with the size of the recipient unit in accordance with the Organization for Economic Co‐operation and Development equivalence scales. The Ministry of Labour estimates that, on average, nearly 50% of the GMI is required for food.ResultsThe total monthly budget for HFB is 0.80, 1.11, 1.27, 1.28, 1.44 and 1.48 times higher than the GMI budget for food among different types of households in Cyprus (a single woman, a single man, a couple, a single woman with two children, a single man with two children and a couple with two children, respectively). In particular, a family with two children on GMI would need to spend a large proportion of their income on the HFB (71.68%).ConclusionsThe GMI scheme appears not to consider the cost of healthy food, and thus, families on welfare payments in Cyprus are at a high risk of experiencing food stress. Therefore, additional research is required to measure the cost of the six HFBs in various settings.
Identification and sequence analysis of two thaumatin‐like protein (TmTLP) genes from Tenebrio molitor
Authors: Noh Mi Young , Jo Yong Hun 
Published: October 2016

AbstractThaumatin‐like proteins (TLPs) share structural similarity with the sweet‐tasting thaumatin protein but exhibit antifungal activity by inhibiting growth of fungal pathogens. In a Tenebrio model, two TLP genes were identified by RNA‐sequencing analysis and genome sequencing. Both TmTLP1 and TmTLP2 genes contain 729 nucleotide sequences encoding 242 amino acid residues, including an initiation codon (ATG) and a termination codon (TAA). Interestingly, TmTLPs are proteins with 14 central cysteine residues that may have an important role in structure formation. These data will be used to characterize the innate immune functions of TmTLPs in Tenebrio molitor.
Quantitative Analysis of 10 Mycotoxins in Wheat Flour by Ultrahigh Performance Liquid Chromatography‐Tandem Mass Spectrometry with a Modified QuEChERS Strategy
Authors: Zhou Qingxin , Li Fenghua , Chen Leilei , Jiang Dafeng 
Published: October 2016

AbstractA simple and sensitive analytical method for quantitative analysis of 10 mycotoxins was developed and validated by a combination of modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) procedure with ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC‐MS/MS). Sample preparation involved QuEChERS with dispersive solid phase extraction for clean‐up, and analysis was performed by reversed‐phase UHPLC‐MS/MS using electrospray negative ionization and multiple reaction monitoring. Under optimized conditions, the calibration curves displayed good linear relationships with all coefficients of determinations (r2) higher than 0.998. The limits of quantification for all target mycotoxins were lower than 7 μg/kg. Trueness and precision for the analytes were 70% to 116% average recoveries and 2% to 13% relative standard deviations (RSDs). The validated method was used to analyze 46 wheat flour samples for the targeted mycotoxins. The method can be used as a rapid and robust tool for screening mycotoxin in cereal products.
Serelaxin in acute heart failure: Most recent update on clinical and preclinical evidence
Authors: Ghosh Raktim Kumar , Banerjee Kinjal , Tummala Ramyashree , Ball Somedeb , Ravakhah Keyvan , Gupta Anjan 
Published: October 2016

SummaryHeart failure continues to be a widely prevalent disease across the world, affecting millions of Americans annually. Acute heart failure (AHF) has a substantial effect on rising healthcare costs and is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality. The search for new drugs for symptom relief and to improve long‐term outcomes in heart failure has led to development of serelaxin, a recombinant human relaxin‐2 hormone. Relaxin was discovered in pregnancy, but eventually found to have a number of other physiological actions, not only in pregnancy, but also in nonpregnant women and men. The actions of serelaxin are primarily via nitric oxide, leading to the observed vasodilatory effects, and increase in renal plasma flow. It has also been found to increase expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐2 and MMP‐9. The antifibrotic and antiinflammatory effects of the drug also play a role in heart failure. In Phase II studies, serelaxin has shown reduction in pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, and NT‐proBNP. The recently published results of the RELAX‐AHF, a phase III clinical trial on serelaxin, has opened new avenues into our understanding of its effects in heart failure. The trial showed improvement in short‐term dyspnea scores and 180‐day mortality, but, interestingly, failed to show any improvement of the secondary endpoints of death or readmission at 60 days. Ongoing Phase III trials like RELAX‐AHF‐2 and RELAX‐AHF‐ASIA would explain these data better and improve understanding of the use of serelaxin in clinical practice. This article summarizes the most updated published preclinical and clinical study data on serelaxin, including pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, safety studies in hepatic, renal impaired patients, Phase II and Phase III trials.
Comparative genomics and physiology of the butyrate‐producing bacterium Intestinimonas butyriciproducens
Authors: Bui Thi Phuong Nam , Shetty Sudarshan Anand , Lagkouvardos Ilias , Ritari Jarmo , Chamlagain Bhawani , Douillard François P. , Paulin Lars , Piironen Vieno , Clavel Thomas , Plugge Caroline M. , de Vos Willem M. 
Published: October 2016

SummaryIntestinimonas is a newly described bacterial genus with representative strains present in the intestinal tract of human and other animals. Despite unique metabolic features including the production of butyrate from both sugars and amino acids, there is to date no data on their diversity, ecology, and physiology. Using a comprehensive phylogenetic approach, Intestinimomas was found to include at least three species that colonize primarily the human and mouse intestine. We focused on the most common and cultivable species of the genus, Intestinimonas butyriciproducens, and performed detailed genomic and physiological comparison of strains SRB521T and AF211, isolated from the mouse and human gut respectively. The complete 3.3‐Mb genomic sequences of both strains were highly similar with 98.8% average nucleotide identity, testifying to their assignment to one single species. However, thorough analysis revealed significant genomic rearrangements, variations in phage‐derived sequences, and the presence of new CRISPR sequences in both strains. Moreover, strain AF211 appeared to be more efficient than strain SRB521T in the conversion of the sugars arabinose and galactose. In conclusion, this study provides genomic and physiological insight into Intestinimonas butyriciproducens, a prevalent butyrate‐producing species, differentiating strains that originate from the mouse and human gut.
The Three Hurdles of Tax Planning: How Business Context, Aims of Tax Planning, and Tax Manager Power Affect Tax Expense
Authors: Feller Anna , Schanz Deborah 
Published: October 2016

AbstractThe question of why some companies pay fewer taxes than others is a widely investigated topic of interest. One of the well‐known explanations is a phenomenon called tax avoidance. We develop a grounded theory model of influences on corporate tax planning through a series of 19 in‐depth German tax expert interviews. Our research identifies three independent hurdles in the tax planning process, which can help to explain different levels of tax expense across companies. Those three hurdles sequentially address which tax planning methods are available (defined by business characteristics), desirable (given via aims of tax planning), and implementable (determined by tax manager power). A large part of previous research has estimated the influence of firm characteristics, which we incorporate in the broader term business characteristics, on tax expense, while the other influences that we identify have largely been left “out of the equation.” In the light of the current public debates on tax avoidance, we reveal two important findings: First, we find that companies vary widely in the aggressiveness of their aims of tax planning, which contrasts sharply with the picture often drawn by undifferentiated media reports. Second, tax managers can assume very different levels of power in their organization. The implementation of desirable tax planning methods varies depending on this level of tax manager power. In conclusion, our three‐hurdle grounded theory provides generalizable insights into important influences on corporate tax planning which help to explain the observed variation in tax expenses across firms.
Terrestrial photogrammetry: a non‐destructive method for modelling irregularly shaped tropical tree trunks
Authors: Bauwens Sébastien , Fayolle Adeline , Gourlet‐Fleury Sylvie , Ndjele Leopold Mianda , Mengal Coralie , Lejeune Philippe 
Published: October 2016

Summary

Irregularly shaped trees including trees with buttresses, flutes or stilt roots are frequent in tropical forests. The lack of an international standard to measure the diameter of such trees leads to high uncertainties in biomass estimation, tree growth and carbon budget monitoring.

In this study, we developed a new method based on terrestrial close‐range photogrammetry for measuring and modelling irregular stems. This approach is cheap and easy to implement in the field as it only requires a camera and a graduated rod. We validated the approach with destructive cross‐section measurements along the stem of three buttressed trees. To demonstrate the broader utility of this method, we extended the validated approach to 43 additional trees belonging to two species: Celtis mildbraedii (Ulmaceae) and Entandophragma cylindricum (Meliaceae). Based on the three dimensional models, we computed shape indices for each tree, and we analysed the stem morphology of the two species. Finally, we analysed some standardized predictors for the estimation of above‐ground biomass.

We found a high concordance between diameters derived from the photogrammetric process and destructive diameter measurements along the stem for the three calibration trees. We found that C. mildbraedii develop much stronger irregularities than E. cylindricum. We also identified a large intraspecific variation in trunk morphology for E. cylindricum. The basal area at 1·3 m height (Darea130) seems to be a more robust predictor for biomass estimates (lowest Akaike information criterion and relative squared error) than diameter measured above buttresses (DAB) or diameter at breast height estimated from available taper model. Finally, Darea130 might be estimated with a good precision [root mean square error (RMSE) < 5%] with linear model based on the field measurements DAB and the perimeter of the convex hull of the buttresses at 1·3 m height (Dconvhull130).

In this study, we showed the high potential of the photogrammetry for measuring and modelling irregular stems. Photogrammetry could then be used as a non‐destructive measurement tool to produce correction factors for standardizing the diameter of irregular stems at a reference height which is a key issue in tree growth monitoring and biomass change estimation.
A new paradigm for biomonitoring: an example building on the Danish Stream Plant Index
Authors: Baattrup‐Pedersen Annette , Göthe Emma , Riis Tenna , Andersen Dagmar K. , Larsen Søren E. 
Published: October 2016

Summary

Despite intensive efforts for more than a decade to develop Water Framework‐compliant assessment systems, shortcomings continue to appear. In particular, the lack of reference conditions has hindered the development of assessment systems capturing the heart of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) – that ecological status should be set as the deviation from the natural, undisturbed condition. Recently, the Danish Stream Plant Index (DSPI) was developed. This system contrasts existing systems in that it builds on an expert interpretation of the normative definitions of ecological status classes in the WFD without taking pressure–impact relationships into account.

Here, we substantiate the approach taken in the development of DSPI and examine whether the DSPI class decreases with increasing level of anthropogenic stress and, additionally, whether the deviation from the natural undisturbed condition increases with decreasing DSPI class sensu WFD using trait composition of plant assemblages from Danish streams around year 1900 as a reference. We furthermore examine the trait composition of the vegetation in sites classified into different DSPI status classes to explore whether predictable patterns exist that can be used to identify the ultimate cause(s) of failure to meet ecological goals and help guide the selection of appropriate mitigation measures.

We observed that DSPI declined with several parameters indicative of environmental stress in Danish streams and, furthermore, that the deviation from the natural undisturbed condition regarding the trait composition of plant communities declined with increasing DSPI, implying that the trait composition of plant communities in the high DSPI status class was most similar to those occurring in Danish streams around year 1900. We also found that trait characteristics capable of disentangling important stressors in Danish streams varied consistently among sites classified into different DSPI classes.

Based on our findings, we call for new thinking. We suggest that more effort should be directed at describing reference conditions and interpreting the normative definitions of good, moderate, poor and bad instead of focusing solely on developing assessment systems using pressure–impact frameworks. We find this particularly important with respect to streams as these are seldom impacted by only a single stressor.
Distinct inflammatory phenotypes of microglia and monocyte‐derived macrophages in Alzheimer's disease models: effects of aging and amyloid pathology
Authors: Martin Elodie , Boucher Céline , Fontaine Bertrand , Delarasse Cécile 
Published: October 2016

SummaryAlzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by formation of amyloid‐β (Aβ) plaques, activated microglia, and neuronal cell death leading to progressive dementia. Recent data indicate that microglia and monocyte‐derived macrophages (MDM) are key players in the initiation and progression of AD, yet their respective roles remain to be clarified. As AD occurs mostly in the elderly and aging impairs myeloid functions, we addressed the inflammatory profile of microglia and MDM during aging in TgAPP/PS1 and TgAPP/PS1dE9, two transgenic AD mouse models, compared to WT littermates. We only found MDM infiltration in very aged mice. We determined that MDM highly expressed activation markers at basal state. In contrast, microglia exhibited an activated phenotype only with normal aging and Aβ pathology. Our study showed that CD14 and CD36, two receptors involved in phagocytosis, were upregulated during Aβ pathogenesis. Moreover, we observed, at the protein levels in AD models, higher production of pro‐inflammatory mediators: IL‐1β, p40, iNOS, CCL‐3, CCL‐4, and CXCL‐1. Taken together, our data indicate that microglia and MDM display distinct phenotypes in AD models and highlight the specific effects of normal aging vs Aβ peptides on inflammatory processes that occur during the disease progression. These precise phenotypes of different subpopulations of myeloid cells in normal and pathologic conditions may allow the design of pertinent therapeutic strategy for AD.
Cocaine‐induced synaptic structural modification is differentially regulated by dopamine D1 and D3 receptors‐mediated signaling pathways
Authors: Zhang Lei , Huang Lu , Lu Kangrong , Liu Yutong , Tu Genghong , Zhu Mengjuan , Ying Li , Zhao Jinlan , Liu N. , Guo Fukun , Zhang Lin , Zhang Lu 
Published: October 2016

AbstractSynaptic plasticity plays a critical role in cocaine addiction. The dopamine D1 and D3 receptors differentially regulate the cocaine‐induced gene expression, structural remodeling and behavioral response. However, how these two receptors coordinately mediate the ultra‐structural changes of synapses after cocaine exposure and whether these changes are behaviorally relevant are still not clear. Here, using quantitative electron microscopy, we show that D1 and D3 receptors have distinct roles in regulating cocaine‐induced ultra‐structural changes of synapses in the nucleus accumbens and caudoputamen. Pre‐treatment of cocaine‐treated mice with D3 receptor antagonist NGB2904 resulted in an increase in the ratio of total and asymmetric synapse to neuron and in the length of postsynaptic densities, compared with cocaine treatment alone. In contrast, pre‐treatment of cocaine‐treated mice with D1 receptor antagonist SCH23390 caused a reduction in synapse‐to‐neuron ratio and in postsynaptic densities length. Similarly, NGB2904 and SCH23390 showed opposite/differential effects on cocaine‐induced structural plasticity, conditioned place preference and locomotor activity and signaling activation, including the activation of ERK, CREB and NR1 and the expression of c‐fos and Cdk5. Therefore, we provide direct electron microscopy evidence that dopamine D1 and D3 receptors reciprocally regulate the ultra‐structural changes of synapses following chronic exposure to cocaine. In addition, our data suggest that D1 and D3 receptors may regulate cocaine‐induced ultra‐structural changes and behavior responses by impact on structural plasticity and signaling transduction.
Survival and life expectancy of the treeProtea roupelliaesubsp.roupelliaein a montane grassland savanna: Effects of fire regime and plant structure
Authors: Smith Francois Richard , Granger James Edmund 
Published: October 2016

AbstractSurvival and life expectancy are key demographic determinants of population dynamics. Using data collected in a field experiment monitored over 14 years in montane grassland of the Ukhahlamba‐Drakensberg Park, South Africa, we determined the effects of components of fire regime and plant structure on the survival and life expectancy of the treeProtea roupelliaesubsp.roupelliae(Proteaceae). The field experiment comprised six plots (0.2–0.5 ha in area) from which the survival and life expectancies of 1567 juveniles (non‐reproductives) and 329 adults (reproductives) were estimated in response to differences in fire frequency, biennial seasonal fire, flame height, juvenile height, adult height, basal area and canopy vigour. Juvenile survival and life expectancies were highest when fires were excluded for 8 years. However, a fire after 12 years of fire exclusion and another fire 2 years later eliminated all juveniles. Over the same 14‐year period of biennial fires, juvenile survival was 5%. Juvenile survival and life expectancy were higher after biennial, winter fires than after annual, winter fires. Flame height had no effect on juvenile survival and life expectancy. Both survival and life expectancy of juveniles increased as plants got older and grew taller. Adult survival was unaffected by fire frequency, flame height or tree size, but the survival of adults in response to fire seasonality was inconclusive. Adults with low canopy vigour (<25%) were negatively affected by fire. Juvenile survival and life expectancy are critical bottlenecks in the demography ofP. roupelliae. This species is neither a reseeder nor a resprouter. It avoids lethal fire damage by being restricted to rocky habitats with low fire intensities. Biennial winter fires least threaten the survival and life expectancy ofP. roupelliaeand impact least on its role in the summer feeding and breeding of Gurney's sugarbird.
High‐flow humidified nasal oxygenation vs. standard face mask oxygenation
Authors: Pillai A. , Daga V. , Lewis J. , Mahmoud M. , Mushambi M. , Bogod D. 
Published: October 2016

SummaryTen healthy volunteers received oxygen for 1 min, 2 min and 3 min at 10 l.min−1 via a face mask, or humidified oxygen at 60 l.min−1 via nasal prongs (OptiflowTM) with the mouth closed and with the mouth open. The mean (SD) end‐tidal oxygen partial pressure after 3 min face mask and Optiflow oxygenation, with mouth closed and open, were: 88.5 (6.2) kPa; 85.6 (6.4) kPa and 48.7 (26.4) kPa, respectively, p = 0.001. The equivalent mean (SD) transcutaneous oxygen partial pressures were: 34.6 (5.4) kPa; 36.4 (6.5) kPa and 25.5 (15.7) kPa, respectively, p = 0.03. High‐flow humidified nasal oxygenation for 3 min with the mouth closed was as effective as 3 min face mask oxygenation.