bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Aligning guidelines and medical practice: Literature review on pediatric palliative care guidelines
Authors: De Clercq Eva , Rost Michael , Pacurari Nadia , Elger Bernice S. , Wangmo Tenzin 
Published: January 2017

ABSTRACTObjective:Palliative care for children is becoming an important subspecialty of healthcare. Although concurrent administration of curative and palliative care is recommended, timely referral to pediatric palliative care (PPC) services remains problematic. This literature review aims to identify barriers and recommendations for proper implementation of palliative care for children through the looking glass of PPC guidelines.Method:To identify studies on PPC guidelines, five databases were searched systematically between 1960 and 2015: Scopus, PubMed, PsycINFO, the Web of Science, and CINAHL. No restrictions were placed on the type of methodology employed in the studies.Results:Concerning barriers, most of the papers focused on gaps within medical practice and the lack of evidence-based research. Common recommendations therefore included: training and education of healthcare staff, formation of a multidisciplinary PPC team, research on the benefits of PPC, and raising awareness about PPC. A small number of publications reported on the absence of clear guidance in PPC documents regarding bereavement care, as well as on the difficulties and challenges involved in multidisciplinary care teams.Significance of results:Our results indicate that a critical assessment of both the research guidelines and medical practice is required in order to promote timely implementation of PPC for pediatric patients.
Nonlinear detection of secondary isotopic chemical shifts in NMR through spin noise
Authors: Pöschko Maria Theresia , Rodin Victor V. , Schlagnitweit Judith , Müller Norbert , Desvaux Hervé 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe detection of minor species in the presence of large amounts of similar main components remains a key challenge in analytical chemistry, for instance, to obtain isotopic fingerprints. As an alternative to the classical NMR scheme based on coherent excitation and detection, here we introduce an approach based on spin-noise detection. Chemical shifts and transverse relaxation rates are determined using only the detection circuit. Thanks to a nonlinear effect in mixtures with small chemical shift dispersion, small signals on top of a larger one can be observed with increased sensitivity as bumps on a dip; the latter being the signature of the main magnetization. Experimental observations are underpinned by an analytical theory: the coupling between the magnetization and the coil provides an amplified detection capability of both small static magnetic field inhomogeneities and small NMR signals. This is illustrated by two-bond 12C/13C isotopic measurements.
Updating temporal expectancy of an aversive event engages striatal plasticity under amygdala control
Authors: Dallérac Glenn , Graupner Michael , Knippenberg Jeroen , Martinez Raquel Chacon Ruiz , Tavares Tatiane Ferreira , Tallot Lucille , El Massioui Nicole , Verschueren Anna , Höhn Sophie , Bertolus Julie Boulanger , Reyes Alex , LeDoux Joseph E. , Schafe Glenn E. , Diaz-Mataix Lorenzo , Doyère Valérie 
Published: January 2017

AbstractPavlovian aversive conditioning requires learning of the association between a conditioned stimulus (CS) and an unconditioned, aversive stimulus (US) but also involves encoding the time interval between the two stimuli. The neurobiological bases of this time interval learning are unknown. Here, we show that in rats, the dorsal striatum and basal amygdala belong to a common functional network underlying temporal expectancy and learning of a CS–US interval. Importantly, changes in coherence between striatum and amygdala local field potentials (LFPs) were found to couple these structures during interval estimation within the lower range of the theta rhythm (3–6 Hz). Strikingly, we also show that a change to the CS–US time interval results in long-term changes in cortico-striatal synaptic efficacy under the control of the amygdala. Collectively, this study reveals physiological correlates of plasticity mechanisms of interval timing that take place in the striatum and are regulated by the amygdala.
Syntrophic anaerobic photosynthesis via direct interspecies electron transfer
Authors: Ha Phuc T. , Lindemann Stephen R. , Shi Liang , Dohnalkova Alice C. , Fredrickson James K. , Madigan Michael T. , Beyenal Haluk 
Published: January 2017

AbstractMicrobial phototrophs, key primary producers on Earth, use H2O, H2, H2S and other reduced inorganic compounds as electron donors. Here we describe a form of metabolism linking anoxygenic photosynthesis to anaerobic respiration that we call ‘syntrophic anaerobic photosynthesis’. We show that photoautotrophy in the green sulfur bacterium Prosthecochloris aestaurii can be driven by either electrons from a solid electrode or acetate oxidation via direct interspecies electron transfer from a heterotrophic partner bacterium, Geobacter sulfurreducens. Photosynthetic growth of P. aestuarii using reductant provided by either an electrode or syntrophy is robust and light-dependent. In contrast, P. aestuarii does not grow in co-culture with a G. sulfurreducens mutant lacking a trans-outer membrane porin-cytochrome protein complex required for direct intercellular electron transfer. Syntrophic anaerobic photosynthesis is therefore a carbon cycling process that could take place in anoxic environments. This process could be exploited for biotechnological applications, such as waste treatment and bioenergy production, using engineered phototrophic microbial communities.
Tubules of plant reoviruses exploit tropomodulin to regulate actin-based tubule motility in insect vector
Authors: Chen Qian , Zhang Linghua , Zhang Yanshuang , Mao Qianzhuo , Wei Taiyun 
Published: January 2017

AbstractPlant reoviruses are known to exploit virion-packaging tubules formed by virus-encoding non-structural proteins for viral spread in insect vectors. Tubules are propelled by actin-based tubule motility (ABTM) to overcome membrane or tissue barriers in insect vectors. To further understand which insect factors mediate ABTM, we utilized yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays to test interactions between tubule protein Pns10 of rice dwarf virus (RDV), a plant reovirus, and proteins of its insect vector, the leafhopper Nephotettix cincticeps. Tropomodulin (Tmod), vitellogenin, and lipophorin precursor of N. cincticep displayed positive and strong interaction with Pns10, and actin-associated protein Tmod interacted with Pns10 in pull-down assay and the co-immunoprecipitation system. Further, we determined Pns10 tubules associated with Tmod in cultured cells and midgut of N. cincticep. The expression dynamic of Tmod was consistent with that of Pns10 and the fluctuation of RDV accumulation. Knockdown of Tmod inhibited the Pns10 expression and viral accumulation, thus decreasing the viruliferous rates of leafhopper. These results suggested that Tmod was involved in viral spread by directly interacting with Pns10 tubules, finally promoting RDV infection. This study provided direct evidence of plant reoviruses utilizing an actin-associated protein to manipulate ABTM in insect vectors, thus facilitating viral spread.
Validation of reference genes for cryopreservation studies with the gorgonian coral endosymbiont Symbiodinium
Authors: Chong Gabriella , Kuo Fu-Wen , Tsai Sujune , Lin Chiahsin 
Published: January 2017

AbstractQuantification by real-time RT-PCR requires a stable internal reference known as a housekeeping gene (HKG) for normalising the mRNA levels of target genes. The present study identified and validated stably expressed HKGs in post-thawSymbiodiniumclade G. Six potential HKGs, namely,pcna, gapdh, 18S rRNA, hsp90, rbcl, andps1, were analysed using three different algorithms, namely, GeNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper. The GeNorm algorithm ranked the candidate genes as follows in the order of decreasing stability:pcnaandgapdh > ps1 > 18S rRNA > hsp90 > rbcl.Results obtained using the NormFinder algorithm also showed thatpcnawas the most stable HKG andps1was the second most stable HKG. We found that the candidate HKGs examined in this study showed variable stability with respect to the three algorithms. These results indicated that bothpcnaandps1were suitable for normalising target gene expression determined by performing real-time RT-PCR in cryopreservation studies onSymbiodiniumclade G. The results of the present study would help future studies to elucidate the effect of cryopreservation on gene expression in dinoflagellates.
DynOmics to identify delays and co-expression patterns across time course experiments
Authors: Straube Jasmin , Huang Bevan Emma , Cao Kim-Anh Lê 
Published: January 2017

AbstractDynamic changes in biological systems can be captured by measuring molecular expression from different levels (e.g., genes and proteins) across time. Integration of such data aims to identify molecules that show similar expression changes over time; such molecules may be co-regulated and thus involved in similar biological processes. Combining data sources presents a systematic approach to study molecular behaviour. It can compensate for missing data in one source, and can reduce false positives when multiple sources highlight the same pathways. However, integrative approaches must accommodate the challenges inherent in ‘omics’ data, including high-dimensionality, noise, and timing differences in expression. As current methods for identification of co-expression cannot cope with this level of complexity, we developed a novel algorithm called DynOmics. DynOmics is based on the fast Fourier transform, from which the difference in expression initiation between trajectories can be estimated. This delay can then be used to realign the trajectories and identify those which show a high degree of correlation. Through extensive simulations, we demonstrate that DynOmics is efficient and accurate compared to existing approaches. We consider two case studies highlighting its application, identifying regulatory relationships across ‘omics’ data within an organism and for comparative gene expression analysis across organisms.
Efficient implementation of a real-time estimation system for thalamocortical hidden Parkinsonian properties
Authors: Yang Shuangming , Deng Bin , Wang Jiang , Li Huiyan , Liu Chen , Fietkiewicz Chris , Loparo Kenneth A. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractReal-time estimation of dynamical characteristics of thalamocortical cells, such as dynamics of ion channels and membrane potentials, is useful and essential in the study of the thalamus in Parkinsonian state. However, measuring the dynamical properties of ion channels is extremely challenging experimentally and even impossible in clinical applications. This paper presents and evaluates a real-time estimation system for thalamocortical hidden properties. For the sake of efficiency, we use a field programmable gate array for strictly hardware-based computation and algorithm optimization. In the proposed system, the FPGA-based unscented Kalman filter is implemented into a conductance-based TC neuron model. Since the complexity of TC neuron model restrains its hardware implementation in parallel structure, a cost efficient model is proposed to reduce the resource cost while retaining the relevant ionic dynamics. Experimental results demonstrate the real-time capability to estimate thalamocortical hidden properties with high precision under both normal and Parkinsonian states. While it is applied to estimate the hidden properties of the thalamus and explore the mechanism of the Parkinsonian state, the proposed method can be useful in the dynamic clamp technique of the electrophysiological experiments, the neural control engineering and brain-machine interface studies.
The mechanism of catalysis by type-II NADH:quinone oxidoreductases
Authors: Blaza James N. , Bridges Hannah R. , Aragão David , Dunn Elyse A. , Heikal Adam , Cook Gregory M. , Nakatani Yoshio , Hirst Judy 
Published: January 2017

AbstractType II NADH:quinone oxidoreductase (NDH-2) is central to the respiratory chains of many organisms. It is not present in mammals so may be exploited as an antimicrobial drug target or used as a substitute for dysfunctional respiratory complex I in neuromuscular disorders. NDH-2 is a single-subunit monotopic membrane protein with just a flavin cofactor, yet no consensus exists on its mechanism. Here, we use steady-state and pre-steady-state kinetics combined with mutagenesis and structural studies to determine the mechanism of NDH-2 from Caldalkalibacillus thermarum. We show that the two substrate reactions occur independently, at different sites, and regardless of the occupancy of the partner site. We conclude that the reaction pathway is determined stochastically, by the substrate/product concentrations and dissociation constants, and can follow either a ping-pong or ternary mechanism. This mechanistic versatility provides a unified explanation for all extant data and a new foundation for the development of therapeutic strategies.
Cumulative Resting Heart Rate Exposure and Risk of All-Cause Mortality: Results from the Kailuan Cohort Study
Authors: Zhao Quanhui , Li Haibin , Wang Anxin , Guo Jin , Yu Junxing , Luo Yanxia , Chen Shuohua , Tao Lixin , Li Yuqing , Li Aiping , Guo Xiuhua , Wu Shouling 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe relationship between cumulative exposure to resting heart rate (cumRHR) and mortality remain unclear in the general population. In the Kailuan cohort study, resting heart rate (RHR) was repeatedly measured at baseline and at years 2 and 4 by electrocardiogram among 47,311 adults aged 48.70 ± 11.68. The cumRHR was defined as the summed average RHR between two consecutive examinations multiplied by the time interval between with two examinations [(beats/min) * year]. A higher RHR was defined as ≥80 beats/min, and the number of visits with a higher RHR was counted. During a median of 4.06 years of follow-up, a total of 1,025 participants died. After adjusting for major traditional cardiovascular risk factors and baseline RHR, the hazard ratio for the highest versus lowest quartile of cumRHR was 1.39 (95% CI: 1.07–1.81) for all-cause mortality. Each 1-SD increment in cumRHR was associated with a 37% (HR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.23–1.52) increased risk of death and displayed a J-shaped relationship. Compared with no exposure, adults who had a higher RHR at all 3 study visits were associated with a 1.86-fold higher risk (95% CI: 1.33–2.61) of mortality. In summary, cumulative exposure to higher RHR is independently associated with an increased risk of mortality.
Observation of Transient Overcritical Currents in YBCO Thin Films using High-Speed Magneto-Optical Imaging and Dynamic Current Mapping
Authors: Wells Frederick S. , Pan Alexey V. , Golovchanskiy Igor A. , Fedoseev Sergey A. , Rozenfeld Anatoly 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe dynamics of transient current distributions in superconducting YBa2Cu3O7−δ thin films were investigated during and immediately following an external field ramp, using high-speed (real-time) Magneto-Optical Imaging and calculation of dynamic current profiles. A number of qualitatively unique and previously unobserved features are seen in this novel analysis of the evolution of supercurrent during penetration. As magnetic field ramps up from zero, the dynamic current profile is characterized by strong peaks, the magnitude of which exceed the conventional critical current density (as determined from static current profiles). These peaks develop close to the sample edges, initially resembling screening currents but quickly growing in intensity as the external field increases. A discontinuity in field and current behaviour is newly observed, indicating a novel transition from increasing peak current toward relaxation behaviour. After this transition, the current peaks move toward the centre of the sample while reducing in intensity as magnetic vortices penetrate inward. This motion slows exponentially with time, with the current distribution in the long-time limit reducing to the expected Kim-model profile.
Development of a Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Assay for Detection of Epidemic Human Noroviruses
Authors: Moore Matthew D. , Jaykus Lee-Ann 
Published: January 2017

AbstractHuman norovirus is a leading cause of viral gastroenteritis worldwide. Rapid detection could facilitate control, however widespread point-of-care testing is infrequently done due to the lack of robust and portable methods. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is a novel isothermal method which rapidly amplifies and detects nucleic acids using a simple device in near real-time. An RT-RPA assay targeting a recent epidemic human norovirus strain (GII.4 New Orleans) was developed and evaluated in this study. The assay successfully detected purified norovirus RNA from multiple patient outbreak isolates and had a limit of detection of 3.40 ± 0.20 log10 genomic copies (LGC), which is comparable to most other reported isothermal norovirus amplification methods. The assay also detected norovirus in directly boiled stool, and displayed better resistance to inhibitors than a commonly used RT-qPCR assay. The assay was specific, as it did not amplify genomes from 9 non-related enteric viruses and bacteria. The assay detected norovirus in some samples in as little as 6 min, and the entire detection process can be performed in less than 30 min. The reported RT-RPA method shows promise for sensitive point-of-care detection of epidemic human norovirus, and is the fastest human norovirus amplification method to date.
Investigating the Bidirectional Associations of Adiposity with Sleep Duration in Older Adults: The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)
Authors: Garfield Victoria , Llewellyn Clare H. , Steptoe Andrew , Kumari Meena 
Published: January 2017

AbstractCross-sectional analyses of adiposity and sleep duration in younger adults suggest that increased adiposity is associated with shorter sleep. Prospective studies have yielded mixed findings, and the direction of this association in older adults is unclear. We examined the cross-sectional and potential bi-directional, prospective associations between adiposity and sleep duration (covariates included demographics, health behaviours, and health problems) in 5,015 respondents from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), at baseline and follow-up. Following adjustment for covariates, we observed no significant cross-sectional relationship between body mass index (BMI) and sleep duration [(unstandardized) B = −0.28 minutes, (95% Confidence Intervals (CI) = −0.012; 0.002), p = 0.190], or waist circumference (WC) and sleep duration [(unstandardized) B = −0.10 minutes, (95% CI = −0.004; 0.001), p = 0.270]. Prospectively, both baseline BMI [B = −0.42 minutes, (95% CI = −0.013; −0.002), p = 0.013] and WC [B = −0.18 minutes, (95% CI = −0.005; −0.000), p = 0.016] were associated with decreased sleep duration at follow-up, independently of covariates. There was, however, no association between baseline sleep duration and change in BMI or WC (p > 0.05). In older adults, our findings suggested that greater adiposity is associated with decreases in sleep duration over time; however the effect was very small.
Spatial competition dynamics between reef corals under ocean acidification
Authors: Horwitz Rael , Hoogenboom Mia O. , Fine Maoz 
Published: January 2017

AbstractClimate change, including ocean acidification (OA), represents a major threat to coral-reef ecosystems. Although previous experiments have shown that OA can negatively affect the fitness of reef corals, these have not included the long-term effects of competition for space on coral growth rates. Our multispecies year-long study subjected reef-building corals from the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea) to competitive interactions under present-day ocean pH (pH 8.1) and predicted end-of-century ocean pH (pH 7.6). Results showed coral growth is significantly impeded by OA under intraspecific competition for five out of six study species. Reduced growth from OA, however, is negligible when growth is already suppressed in the presence of interspecific competition. Using a spatial competition model, our analysis indicates shifts in the competitive hierarchy and a decrease in overall coral cover under lowered pH. Collectively, our case study demonstrates how modified competitive performance under increasing OA will in all likelihood change the composition, structure and functionality of reef coral communities.
Variant Ionotropic Receptors in the Malaria Vector Mosquito Anopheles gambiae Tuned to Amines and Carboxylic Acids
Authors: Pitts R. Jason , Derryberry Stephen L. , Zhang Zhiwei , Zwiebel Laurence J. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe principal Afrotropical human malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, remains a significant threat to global health. A critical component in the transmission of malaria is the ability of An. gambiae females to detect and respond to human-derived chemical kairomones in their search for blood meal hosts. The basis for host odor responses resides in olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) that express chemoreceptors encoded by large gene families, including the odorant receptors (ORs) and the variant ionotropic receptors (IRs). While ORs have been the focus of extensive investigation, functional IR complexes and the chemical compounds that activate them have not been identified in An. gambiae. Here we report the transcriptional profiles and functional characterization of three An. gambiae IR (AgIr) complexes that specifically respond to amines or carboxylic acids - two classes of semiochemicals that have been implicated in mediating host-seeking by adult females but are not known to activate An. gambiae ORs (AgOrs). Our results suggest that AgIrs play critical roles in the detection and behavioral responses to important classes of host odors that are underrepresented in the AgOr chemical space.
Prevalence of antepartum hemorrhage in women with placenta previa: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Fan Dazhi , Wu Song , Liu Li , Xia Qing , Wang Wen , Guo Xiaoling , Liu Zhengping 
Published: January 2017

AbstractAntepartum hemorrhage (APH) is an important cause of perinatal mortality and maternal morbidity in pregnant women with placenta previa in the world. However, the epidemiological characteristics are not completely understood. We performed an initial systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the prevalence of APH in pregnant women with placenta previa. It was totally performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis statement. PubMed, Elsevier Science Direct, and the Cochrane Library were searched before April 2016. A meta-analysis with a random-effects model based on a proportions approach was performed to determine the prevalence. Stratified analyses, meta-regression method, and sensitivity analysis were utilized to analyze the heterogeneity. A total of 29 articles were included. The pooled overall prevalence of APH among pregnant women with placenta previa was 51.6% (95% CI 42.7–60.6) in a heterogeneous set of studies (I2 = 97.9). Correlation analysis found that there was a positive correlation between prevalence and percentage of multiparous (r = 0.534, P = 0.027) and a negative correlation between prevalence and survey year (r = −0.400, P = 0.031). In conclusion, the prevalence of APH was a high condition among pregnant women with placenta previa.