bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impairment of gastric accommodation induced by water‐avoidance stress is mediated by 5‐HT2B receptors
Authors: Miwa H. , Koseki J. , Oshima T. , Hattori T. , Kase Y. , Kondo T. , Fukui H. , Tomita T. , Ohda Y. , Watari J. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractBackgroundPsychological stress has been shown to impair gastric accommodation (GA), but its mechanism has not been elucidated. This study was conducted to clarify the role of 5‐HT2B receptors in a guinea pig model of stress‐induced impairment of GA.MethodsGastric accommodation was evaluated by measuring the intrabag pressure in the proximal stomach after administration of a liquid meal. The guinea pigs were subjected to water‐avoidance stress. The role of 5‐HT2B receptors in impairment of GA was investigated by administering a 5‐HT2B receptor agonist (BW723C86) or antagonist (SB215505), the traditional Japanese medicine rikkunshito (RKT), a muscarinic M3 receptor antagonist (1,1‐dimethyl‐4‐diphenylacetoxypiperidium iodide [4‐DAMP]), or a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (Nω‐nitro‐L‐arginine [L‐NNA]).Key ResultsIn normal animals, liquid meal‐induced GA was inhibited by BW723C86, but was not affected by SB215505. The inhibition of GA by BW723C86 was reversed by co‐administration of 4‐DAMP. Compared to normal animals, GA in stressed animals was significantly inhibited. SB215505 and RKT significantly suppressed stress‐induced impairment of GA. After meal administration, the level of cyclic guanosine monophosphate in gastric fundus tissue increased by approximately twofold in normal animals, but did not change in stressed animals. The inhibition of GA by L‐NNA was suppressed by SB215505 or RKT. At a dose that did not affect GA in normal animals, BW723C86 exacerbated the impairment of GA in stressed animals.Conclusions and InferencesStress‐induced impairment of GA may be mediated by an increased responsiveness of 5‐HT2B receptors, and activation of the 5‐HT2B receptor signaling pathway may have an inhibitory effect on nitric oxide function.
The meaning of illness in nursing practice: a philosophical model of communication and concept possession
Authors: Nordby Halvor 
Published: February 2016

AbstractIt is fundamental assumption in nursing theory that it is important for nurses to understand how patients experience states of ill health. This assumption is often related to aims of empathic understanding, but normative principles of social interpretation can have an important action‐guiding role whenever nurses seek to understand patients’ subjective horizons on the basis of active or passive expressions of meaning. The aim of this article is to present a philosophical theory of concept possession and to argue that it can shed light on how nurses should seek to understand patients’ subjective perspectives on the meaning of illness. The two basic ideas in the theory are that patients’ beliefs and thoughts about their experiences involve concepts and that concepts can be communicated on the basis of shared implicit conceptions of what they mean. These conditions of understanding have a striking application: nurse‐patient communication is limited by many contextual factors, but it is often possible for nurses to detect shared implicit conceptions of the meaning of concepts of disease and illness. Furthermore, by acting as sympathetic linguistic experts and creating an atmosphere for dialogue, nurses can make patients feel comfortable about deferring to medical explanations of meaning that can constitute a communicative platform. The last part of the article uses a number of cases studies to show how these implications can be implemented as conceptual tools for securing meaningful communication about illness experiences in patient dialogue.
Interactions between Streptococcus oralis, Actinomyces oris, and Candida albicans in the development of multispecies oral microbial biofilms on salivary pellicle
Authors: Cavalcanti I.M.G. , Del Bel Cury A.A. , Jenkinson H.F. , Nobbs A.H. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryThe fungus Candida albicans is carried orally and causes a range of superficial infections that may become systemic. Oral bacteria Actinomyces oris and Streptococcus oralis are abundant in early dental plaque and on oral mucosa. The aims of this study were to determine the mechanisms by which S. oralis and A. oris interact with each other and with C. albicans in biofilm development. Spatial distribution of microorganisms was visualized by confocal laser scanning microscopy of biofilms labeled by differential fluorescence or by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Actinomyces oris and S. oralis formed robust dual‐species biofilms, or three‐species biofilms with C. albicans. The bacterial components tended to dominate the lower levels of the biofilms while C. albicans occupied the upper levels. Non‐fimbriated A. oris was compromised in biofilm formation in the absence or presence of streptococci, but was incorporated into upper biofilm layers through binding to C. albicans. Biofilm growth and hyphal filament production by C. albicans was enhanced by S. oralis. It is suggested that the interkingdom biofilms are metabolically coordinated to house all three components, and this study demonstrates that adhesive interactions between them determine spatial distribution and biofilm architecture. The physical and chemical communication processes occurring in these communities potentially augment C. albicans persistence at multiple oral cavity sites.
Crosstalk between chloroplast thioredoxin systems in regulation of photosynthesis
Authors: Nikkanen Lauri , Toivola Jouni , Rintamäki Eevi 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThioredoxins (TRXs) mediate light‐dependent activation of primary photosynthetic reactions in plant chloroplasts by reducing disulphide bridges in redox‐regulated enzymes. Of the two plastid TRX systems, the ferredoxin‐TRX system consists of ferredoxin‐thioredoxin reductase (FTR) and multiple TRXs, while the NADPH‐dependent thioredoxin reductase (NTRC) contains a complete TRX system in a single polypeptide. Using Arabidopsis plants overexpressing or lacking a functional NTRC, we have investigated the redundancy and interaction between the NTRC and Fd‐TRX systems in regulation of photosynthesis in vivo. Overexpression of NTRC raised the CO2 fixation rate and lowered non‐photochemical quenching and acceptor side limitation of PSI in low light conditions by enhancing the activation of chloroplast ATP synthase and TRX‐regulated enzymes in Calvin–Benson cycle (CBC). Overexpression of NTRC with an inactivated NTR or TRX domain partly recovered the phenotype of knockout plants, suggesting crosstalk between the plastid TRX systems. NTRC interacted in planta with fructose‐1,6‐bisphosphatase, phosphoribulokinase and CF1γ subunit of the ATP synthase and with several chloroplast TRXs. These findings indicate that NTRC‐mediated regulation of the CBC and ATP synthesis occurs both directly and through interaction with the ferredoxin‐TRX system and is crucial when availability of light is limiting photosynthesis.
Flowering pathway is regulated by bulb size in Lilium longiflorum (Easter lily)
Authors: Lazare S. , Zaccai M. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractLilium longiflorum (Easter lily) vegetative propagation occurs through production of underground bulbs containing apical and axillary meristems. In addition, sexual reproduction is achieved by flowering of elongated shoots above the bulb. It is generally accepted that L. longiflorum has an obligatory requirement for vernalisation and that long day (LD) regime hastens flowering. However, the effect of bulb size and origin, with respect to axillary or apical meristems on flowering, as well as the interactions between these meristems are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of bulb size, vernalisation and photoperiod on L. longiflorum flowering. To this end, we applied vernalisation and photoperiod treatments to the different bulb sizes and used a system of constant ambient temperature of 25 °C, above vernalisation spectrum, to avoid cold‐dependent floral induction during plant growth. Vernalisation and LD hasten flowering in all bulbs. Large, non‐vernalised bulbs invariably remained at a vegetative stage. However, small non‐vernalised bulbs flowered under LD conditions. These results demonstrate for the first time that cold exposure is not an obligatory prerequisite for L. longiflorum flowering, and that an alternative flowering pathway can bypass vernalisation in small bulbs. We suggest that apical dominance interactions determine the distinct flowering pathways of the apical and axillary meristems. Similar floral induction is achieved in propagated bulblets from scaling. These innovative findings in the field of geophyte floral induction represent valuable applicative knowledge for lily production.
Cilostazol Improves Developmental Competence of Pig Oocytes by Increasing Intraoocyte Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate Level and Delaying Meiotic Resumption
Authors: Elahi F , Lee H , Lee Y , Park B , Lee J , Hyun S‐H , Lee E 
Published: February 2016

ContentsCilostazol (CLZ) is a cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) modulator that influences the steady state of the meiotic stage. This study was conducted to determine the effects of CLZ treatment during in vitro maturation (IVM) on developmental competence of pig oocytes. Immature oocytes were exposed to 0 (control), 0.5, 2 and 4 μm CLZ during the first 22 h of IVM. Nuclear maturation, intraoocyte glutathione content and embryo cleavage after parthenogenesis (PA) and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) were not influenced by CLZ at any concentrations. However, 4 μm CLZ significantly (p < 0.05) improved blastocyst formation after PA (52.1% vs 38.7–46.0%) and SCNT relative to other concentrations (40.8% vs 25.0–30.7%). The mean cell numbers of SCNT blastocysts were significantly increased by 4 μm CLZ compared to the control (42.6 cells vs 35.3 cells/blastocyst). CLZ treatment significantly increased the intraoocyte cAMP level and effectively arrested oocytes at the germinal vesicle (GV) and GV break down stages compared to the control (74.5% vs 45.4%). Our results demonstrated that improved developmental competence of PA and SCNT pig embryos occurred via better synchronization of nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation induced by increased cAMP and delayed meiotic resumption after CLZ treatment.
The Relationship Between Home Market Performance and Internationalization Decisions: Evidence From German Insurance Groups
Authors: Altuntas Muhammed , Gößmann Gerrit 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis study investigates the relationship between home market performance and the choice of foreign market entry mode using survey data and financial statement data for German insurance groups with property–liability business from 1999 to 2011. We develop a dynamic resource‐based perspective and argue that strategic transformation is a major motive driving the decisions of insurance groups to internationalize their businesses. Additionally, the more rapid the strategic transformation, the more intense is the choice of market entry mode. Furthermore, our findings corroborate the notion that internationalization has a positive effect on home market performance when insurance groups are able to decrease home market dependence by extending the degree of internationalization.
Formation of point bars through rising and falling flood stages: Evidence from bar morphology, sediment transport and bed shear stress
Authors: Wu Chenliang , Ullah Mohammad S. , Lu Jin , Bhattacharya Janok P. 
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACTFlow processes and sediment transport in a channel bend and associated point bar have been studied in modern rivers, theoretical models and physical experiments: however, the relationship between flow process and point‐bar morphology has rarely been explained due to the complex nature of open channel flow. Plan‐view exposures of an ancient point‐bar complex, exposed at the top of the Cretaceous Ferron Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale Formation, south‐central Utah, allowed reconstruction of bar morphology, sediment transport and bed shear stress, which were used to extrapolate flow processes. Studies of these outcrops show that compound point bars and scroll bars were probably formed during falling and rising flood stages, respectively. A simulation model of plan‐view channel form shows that channel dimensions, such as radius of curvature and sinuosity of the point‐bar complex, range between 205 m and 351 m and 1·04 and 1·22, respectively, throughout the evolution of the channel bend. Variations in strength of the helical flow were interpreted as the main control on facies architecture and bar morphology. Strong helical flow was related to the deposition of the scroll bars, while strength of helical flow is decreased for compound bars. The use of cross‐beds as a common palaeocurrent indicator was found to be inconsistent with mean flow directions and channel margin orientation.
Thoughts on Positive Selection in Thymus
Authors: Cohn M. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractAny analysis of the mechanism of signalling during positive selection in the thymus is dependent on one's model of the TCR–ligand interaction. To date, thinking about mechanism has been dominated by what might be termed the Standard (or Centric) model, which is based on analogy between the BCR and the TCR. As the present analysis is an independent rationalized view of the TCR–ligand interactions, it permits a more balanced view of positive selection. The goal here was to explore this alternative to the Standard model.
A survey of US and Canadian hospitals' paediatric massive transfusion protocol policies
Authors: Horst J. , Leonard J. C. , Vogel A. , Jacobs R. , Spinella P. C. 
Published: February 2016

SUMMARYBackgroundTrauma is the leading cause of death in children >1 year of age, with haemorrhage as the most common cause of medically preventable deaths. While massive transfusion protocols (MTPs) have been investigated and used in adults to reduce death from haemorrhage, there are a paucity of published data on MTP practices and outcomes in children. This study aimed to survey current MTP policies and the frequency of activation at paediatric care centres.Study design and methodsWe conducted a survey of MTPs at hospitals in the United States and Canada, including children's general hospitals, children's specialty hospitals and children's units in general hospitals. We collected information on how the MTP is activated, what therapeutics are given, frequency of its use, and how it is audited for compliance.ResultsForty‐six survey responses were analysed. Physician discretion was the most common activation criteria (89%). A majority of sites (78%) targeted a ‘high’ (≥1 : 2) ratio of plasma to red blood cells (RBC). Fifteen percent of sites use antifibrinolytics in their MTPs. Eighty nine percent of sites have type‐O RBC units and 48% of sites had thawed plasma units stored in an immediately available location.ConclusionThere is a wide variation in MTPs among paediatric hospitals with regard to both activation criteria and products administered. This underscores the need for future prospective studies to determine the most effective resuscitation methods for paediatric populations to improve outcomes and therapeutic safety for massive bleeding.
A novel strategy for screening blood donors for syphilis at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Ghana
Authors: Sarkodie F. , Ullum H. , Owusu‐Dabo E. , Owusu‐Ofori S. , Owusu‐Ofori A. , Hassall O. 
Published: February 2016

SUMMARYObjectiveTo implement and describe a novel syphilis screening strategy for blood donors.BackgroundThe seroprevalence of syphilis in blood donors is often high in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMIC) although the proportion of infectious donations is probably low. Syphilis screening may not happen at all; or the use of non‐specific screening tests, which have high false positive rates, results in many donations being discarded unnecessarily. This can have a critical effect on already inadequate blood supplies.Materials and MethodsBlood donors were screened at the time of donation with an anti‐treponemal rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and blood collected irrespective of the result. Units screening negative for syphilis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B and C were released to stock. RDT screen‐positive units were re‐tested with rapid plasma reagin (RPR) – units testing negative were released to stock and test‐positive units discarded.ResultsOf the 2213 blood donors, 182 (8·2%; 182/2213) screened positive by RDT. In addition, 38 out of these 182 (20·9%) were RPR positive on post‐donation testing. Over 2 months there was a 79% reduction in blood units discarded due to a positive syphilis screen.ConclusionIn other LMIC, this novel strategy can contribute to improving blood safety without jeopardising blood supply.
AAE13 encodes a dual‐localized malonyl‐CoA synthetase that is crucial for mitochondrial fatty acid biosynthesis
Authors: Guan Xin , Nikolau Basil J. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryMalonyl‐CoA is a key intermediate in a number of metabolic processes associated with its role as a substrate in acylation and condensation reactions. These types of reactions occur in plastids, the cytosol and mitochondria, and although carboxylation of acetyl‐CoA is the known mechanism for generating the distinct plastidial and cytosolic pools, the metabolic origin of the mitochondrial malonyl‐CoA pool is still unclear. In this study we demonstrate that malonyl‐CoA synthetase encoded by the Arabidopsis AAE13 (AT3G16170) gene is localized in both the cytosol and the mitochondria. These isoforms are translated from two types of transcripts, one that contains and one that does not contain a mitochondrial‐targeting pre‐sequence. Whereas the cytosolic AAE13 protein is not essential, due to the presence of a redundant malonyl‐CoA generating system provided by a cytosolic acetyl‐CoA carboxylase, the mitochondrial AAE13 protein is essential for plant growth. Phenotypes of the aae13‐1 mutant are transgenically reversed only if the mitochondrial pre‐sequence is present in the ectopically expressed AAE13 proteins. The aae13‐1 mutant exhibits typical metabolic phenotypes associated with a deficiency in the mitochondrial fatty acid synthase system, namely depleted lipoylation of the H subunit of the photorespiratory enzyme glycine decarboxylase, increased accumulation of glycine and glycolate and reduced levels of sucrose. Most of these metabolic alterations, and associated morphological changes, are reversed when the aae13‐1 mutant is grown in a non‐photorespiratory condition (i.e. a 1% CO2 atmosphere), demonstrating that they are a consequence of the deficiency in photorespiration due to the inability to generate lipoic acid from mitochondrially synthesized fatty acids.
Epidermal jasmonate perception is sufficient for all aspects of jasmonate‐mediated male fertility in Arabidopsis
Authors: Jewell Jeremy B. , Browse John 
Published: February 2016

SummaryJasmonate (JA) signaling is essential for several environmental responses and reproductive development in many plant species. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the most obvious phenotype of JA biosynthetic and perception mutants is profound sporophytic male sterility characterized by failure of stamen filament elongation, severe delay of anther dehiscence and pollen inviability. The site of action of JA in the context of reproductive development has been discussed, but the ideas have not been tested experimentally. To this end we used targeted expression of a COI1‐YFP transgene in the coi1‐1 mutant background. As COI1 is an essential component of the JA co‐receptor complex, the null coi1‐1 mutant is male sterile due to lack of JA perception. We show that expression of COI1‐YFP in the epidermis of the stamen filament and anther in coi1 mutant plants is sufficient to rescue filament elongation, anther dehiscence and pollen viability. In contrast, filament expression alone or expression in the tapetum do not restore dehiscence and pollen viability. These results demonstrate that epidermal JA perception is sufficient for anther function and pollen viability, and suggest the presence of a JA‐dependent non‐autonomous signal produced in the anther epidermis to synchronize both anther dehiscence and pollen maturation.
Predicted effect of selectively testing female donors for HLA antibodies to mitigate transfusion‐related acute lung injury risk from apheresis platelets
Authors: Eder Anne F. , Dy Beth A. , O'Neill E. Mary 
Published: February 2016

BACKGROUNDThe use of male‐donor‐predominant plasma has reduced the risk of transfusion‐related acute lung injury (TRALI), but the possible benefit of different mitigation strategies for other components is unknown. We evaluated the risk of TRALI from apheresis platelets (PLTs) to predict the effect of selectively testing female plateletpheresis donors who have been pregnant for HLA antibodies.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSThe American Red Cross hemovigilance program classified TRALI cases from apheresis PLTs or red blood cells (RBCs) in 2006 to 2013 or from predominantly male‐donor (>95%) plasma in 2008 to 2013 and compared the component‐specific TRALI rates.RESULTSThe overall rate of TRALI was significantly higher for apheresis PLTs (6.2 cases per 106 units; OR [95% CI], 3.3 [2.3‐4.8]) or plasma (3.8 cases per 106 units; OR [95% CI], 2.0 [1.4‐2.9]) compared to RBCs (1.9 per 106 units). Twenty‐nine of the 41 apheresis PLT cases involved female donors; 28 had been pregnant, and one had not been pregnant and was not tested. Twenty‐five (61%) of the apheresis PLT TRALI cases had female donors with HLA Class I or Class II antibodies. In five of six cases that implicated specific HNA antibodies, the female parous donors also had multiple HLA antibodies.CONCLUSIONSTRALI was more likely after transfusion of apheresis PLTs than male‐donor‐predominant plasma or RBCs. A selective strategy to test all female plateletpheresis donors who have been pregnant for HLA antibodies might reduce the risk of TRALI by approximately 60% and prevent some cases from coexisting HNA antibodies.
Improving first‐time donor attendance rates through the use of enhanced donor preparation materials
Authors: Masser Barbara , France Christopher R. , Foot Jayne , Rozsa Amy , Hayman Jane , Waller Daniel , Hunder Everard 
Published: February 2016

BACKGROUNDMany nondonors are positive about blood donation and this motivates booking an appointment to donate. However, as their appointment approaches barriers to donating—such as anxiety—may become salient and deter attendance. Building on research of France and colleagues demonstrating the positive effect of enhanced preparation materials on donor recruitment, this study sought to determine whether these materials could effectively boost first donation appointment attendance.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSA field study comprising a 3 (brochure: none, e‐mail, hard copy) × 2 (national call center [NCC] contact: none, call) between‐subjects design was conducted with 3646 nondonors who had scheduled their first appointment. Participants in the brochure conditions received either a hard copy or an e‐mailed link to electronic materials modeled on the donor preparation research of France and colleagues. Participants in the NCC call condition also received a call scripted in line with these preparation materials. The key outcome was new donor attendance rate.RESULTSAlthough first‐appointment attendance rates were high in the control (no additional contact) condition at 85.07% of those not canceling in advance, dual exposure to the preparation materials through a NCC call and an electronic brochure boosted attendance. The relative risk of attending in the NCC call and electronic brochure condition was 1.0836 (95% confidence interval, 1.0352‐1.1343; p = 0.0006), with attendance 8.36% higher than in the control. This gain in attendance came at a relative increase in recruitment costs of 2%.CONCLUSIONThe use of tailored communication to address new donors' concerns and prepare them for donating bolsters attendance rates.