bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of three global change drivers on terrestrial C:N:P stoichiometry: a global synthesis
Authors: Yue Kai , Fornara Dario A. , Yang Wanqin , Peng Yan , Li Zhijie , Wu Fuzhong , Peng Changhui 
Published: November 2016

AbstractOver the last few decades, there has been an increasing number of controlled‐manipulative experiments to investigate how plants and soils might respond to global change. These experiments typically examined the effects of each of three global change drivers [i.e., nitrogen (N) deposition, warming, and elevatedCO2] on primary productivity and on the biogeochemistry of carbon (C), N, and phosphorus (P) across different terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we capitalize on this large amount of information by performing a comprehensive meta‐analysis (>2000 case studies worldwide) to address how C:N:P stoichiometry of plants, soils, and soil microbial biomass might respond to individual vs. combined effects of the three global change drivers. Our results show that (i) individual effects of N addition and elevatedCO2on C:N:P stoichiometry are stronger than warming, (ii) combined effects of pairs of global change drivers (e.g., N addition + elevatedCO2, warming + elevatedCO2) on C:N:P stoichiometry were generally weaker than the individual effects of each of these drivers, (iii) additive interactions (i.e., when combined effects are equal to or not significantly different from the sum of individual effects) were more common than synergistic or antagonistic interactions, (iv) C:N:P stoichiometry of soil and soil microbial biomass shows high homeostasis under global change manipulations, and (v) C:N:P responses to global change are strongly affected by ecosystem type, local climate, and experimental conditions. Our study is one of the first to compare individual vs. combined effects of the three global change drivers on terrestrial C:N:P ratios using a large set of data. To further improve our understanding of how ecosystems might respond to future global change, long‐term ecosystem‐scale studies testing multifactor effects on plants and soils are urgently required across different world regions.
PReSaFe: A model of barriers and facilitators to patients providing feedback on experiences of safety
Authors: De Brún Aoife , Heavey Emily , Waring Justin , Dawson Pamela , Scott Jason 
Published: November 2016

AbstractObjectiveThe importance of involving patients in reporting on safety is increasingly recognized. Whilst studies have identified barriers to clinician incident reporting, few have explored barriers and facilitators to patient reporting of safety experiences. This paper explores patient perspectives on providing feedback on safety experiences.Design/ParticipantsPatients (n=28) were invited to take part in semi‐structured interviews when given a survey about their experiences of safety following hospital discharge. Transcripts were thematically analysed using NVivo10.SettingPatients were recruited from four hospitals in the UK.ResultsThree themes were identified as barriers and facilitators to patient involvement in providing feedback on their safety experiences. The first, cognitive‐cultural, found that whilst safety was a priority for most, some felt the term was not relevant to them because safety was the “default” position, and/or because safety could not be disentangled from the overall experience of care. The structural‐procedural theme indicated that reporting was facilitated when patients saw the process as straightforward, but that disinclination or perceived inability to provide feedback was a barrier. Finally, learning and change illustrated that perception of the impact of feedback could facilitate or inhibit reporting.ConclusionsWhen collecting patient feedback on experiences of safety, it is important to consider what may help or hinder this process, beyond the process alone. We present a staged model of prerequisite barriers and facilitators and hypothesize that each stage needs to be achieved for patients to provide feedback on safety experiences. Implications for collecting meaningful data on patients' safety experiences are considered.
The Mamlukization of the Mamluk Sultanate? State Formation and the History of Fifteenth Century Egypt and Syria: Part II — Comparative Solutions and a New Research Agenda
Authors: Van Steenbergen Jo , Wing Patrick , D'hulster Kristof 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThis is the second of two connected articles that aim to offer a new perspective on the history of late medieval Egypt and Syria, on 15th‐century political history of the so‐called Mamluk Sultanate in particular. Informed by a comparative look at a selection of wider relevant scholarship, we propose to reconsider 15th‐century Syro‐Egyptian political action within the particular framework of a complex process of state formation. This perspective, defined as ‘Mamlukization’, may help to better account for change and for contemporary laments that “things aren't what they used to be.” Part I explained how Mamluk scholarship has only recently managed to overcome a traditional tendency to view the sultanate's political history as a long process of divergence from an idealized system based on military slavery, raising new difficulties. Part II endeavors to develop an alternative perspective, inspired by scholarship that connects ways of thinking about power and politics by authors as diverse as Ibn Khaldun (d. 1406) and Pierre Bourdieu (d. 2002). This perspective makes it possible to reconsider 15th‐century Syro‐Egyptian political changes within the particular analytical framework of state formation, of similar patterns of political and governmental growth in late medieval and early modern Europe, and of the appearance of a new Mamluk political order.
Clinical and immunological relevance of antibodies in solid organ transplantation
Authors: Mehra N. K. , Baranwal A. K. 
Published: November 2016

SummaryThe two important issues affecting recipients of solid organ transplants and of importance to immunologists are (i) sensitization of the recipient to HLA antigens and the resultant humoral immune response leading to the development of anti‐HLA antibodies; and ii) development of robust assays for early detection of humoral rejection post‐transplant. Evidence from several studies clearly indicates that presence of circulating anti‐HLA antibodies especially donor specific leads to early graft loss and high titres of DSA may even lead to hyperacute or accelerated acute rejection. Long‐term graft survival too is adversely affected by the presence of either pre‐ or post‐transplant DSA. HLA matching status of the recipient – donor pair – is an important factor in the modulation of humoral response following transplantation and in a way affects de novo development of DSA. Data collected over the past decade clearly indicate significantly lower level of DSAs in optimally matched donor‐recipient pairs. HLA mismatches especially those on HLA‐DR and HLA‐C loci have wider implications on post‐transplant graft survival. The presence of circulating anti‐HLA antibodies leads to endothelial damage in the newly grafted organ through complement dependent or independent pathways. Although detection of C4d deposition in renal biopsies serves as an important indicator of humoral rejection, its absence does not preclude the presence of DSAs and humoral rejection, and hence, it cannot be relied upon in every case. The emergence of epitope‐based screening for anti‐HLA antibodies on Luminex platform with high degree of sensitivity has revolutionized the screening for anti‐HLA antibodies and DSAs. Studies indicate that humoral response to non‐HLA antigens might also have a detrimental effect on allograft survival. High titres of such circulating antibodies may even lead to hyperacute rejection. Pre‐emptive testing of solid organ recipients, especially kidney transplant recipients for anti‐HLA and non‐HLA antibodies and aggressive post‐transplant monitoring of allograft function to detect DSAs using Luminex‐based tests, is highly recommended.
A panel of circulating miRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers for screening multiple myeloma: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Zhang L. , Cao D. , Tang L. , Sun C. , HU Y. 
Published: November 2016

SummaryCirculating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been proved to be effective diagnostic markers for multiple myeloma (MM). The meta‐analysis was aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of related miRNAs. Multiple databases (PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CBM, and CNKI) were systematically searched for available studies up to March 2016. All data were analyzed with the help of software revman 5.3 and metadisc 1.4. The eligible articles’ quality was estimated by QUADAS‐2, and pooled parameters were acquired with the bivariate random‐effects meta‐analysis model. Subgroup analysis and meta‐regression were conducted to explore the heterogeneity of studies included. After steps of screening, seven qualified literatures were selected. They consisted of 22 studies that included 486 newly diagnosed MM patients and 292 healthy controls. Summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) analyses of all miRNAs showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.86 (95%CI, 0.82–0.91). Together with the AUC, the positive likelihood ratio‐PLR 4.45 (95%CI, 3.28–6.04), negative likelihood ratio‐NLR 0.29 (95%CI, 0.24–0.35), and diagnostic odds ratio‐DOR 17.59 (95%CI, 11.26–27.4) confirmed that circulating miRNAs possessed relatively high diagnostic value in discriminating MM patients from healthy controls. For miRNAs combined together, miRNA‐1308/miRNA‐720 had the highest sensitivity 0.96 (95%CI, 0.79–1.00) and specificity 0.92 (95%CI 0.64–1.0). The subgroup and meta‐regression analyses also showed that miRNAs profiling was the sole source of heterogeneity, and the diagnostic accuracy of combined miRNAs was 6.02 times higher than single one. Combined circulating miRNAs in serum or plasma may be highly effective biomarker for diagnosis of MM.
High prevalence of sessile serrated adenomas in contemporary outpatient colonoscopy practice
Authors: Bettington Mark , Walker Neal , Rahman Tony , Vandeleur Ann , Whitehall Vicki , Leggett Barbara , Croese John 
Published: November 2016

BackgroundSessile serrated adenomas (SSA) are the polyp precursor of 15–20% of colorectal carcinomas. There is debate about their prevalence and increasing discussion about the need for a serrated polyp detection rate as a quality indicator for colonoscopy.AimsTo assess the prevalence of SSA at an outpatient gastroenterology service.MethodsThis is a retrospective study of an unselected consecutive series of patients who had an outpatient colonoscopy between April 2013 and May 2014. The colonoscopy reports were reviewed to identify age, gender, indication for procedure, completion, withdrawal time, adequacy of bowel preparation, number, size and location of polyps. The pathology of all polyps was centrally reviewed by a gastrointestinal pathologist.ResultsA total of 707 patients underwent colonoscopy within the study period. The mean age of the cohort was 58 years, and 50.6% were female. Polyp(s) were identified in 66.5% of patients. The SSA detection rate was 20.1%, and the adenoma detection rate was 48.0%. SSA detection was associated with longer withdrawal times. Conventional adenoma detection was associated with older age, male gender, longer withdrawal time and a positive faecal occult blood test result.Conclusion
SSA are highly prevalent in an unselected series of patients attending a gastroenterology outpatient department. Identifying and removing these polyps may help prevent interval colorectal carcinoma. This result may serve as a benchmark for a high‐quality colonoscopy service.
The not so innocent heart murmur: a 5‐year experience
Authors: Kueh Shaw‐Hua , Pasley Thomas , Wheeler Miriam , Pemberton James 
Published: November 2016

BackgroundAuckland City Hospital (ACH) established a Heart Murmur Clinic (HMC) with the aim of providing prompt assessment of patients with asymptomatic systolic murmurs. This may lead to early intervention and improved outcomes if significant structural heart disease is detected and reassurance if no significant findings are found. Similar clinics for children have proven beneficial; the benefit of a HMC in an adult population has been difficult to determine.AimTo review the clinical demographics and echocardiographic information of patients presenting to our HMC, to assess what proportion of significance structural heart disease had and determine the common structural abnormalities in this population.MethodsThis is a retrospective review of patients aged ≥15 years presenting to our HMC between March 2010 and December 2015 with an asymptomatic systolic murmur. Patients with previous cardiac surgery or known congenital or valvular heart disease were excluded.ResultsA total of 1221 patients was reviewed over the 5‐year period; 980 underwent echocardiography. Significant cardiac disease was detected in 156 patients, with 23 patients requiring surgical intervention over the 5‐year period. Significant aortic stenosis (n = 43) and mitral regurgitation (n = 48) were the most common pathologies. Patients > 65 years were more likely to have structural heart disease (16% vs 11%, P < 0.05).ConclusionEstablishing a HMC has allowed the screening of a large number of patients who would otherwise have low priority for assessment. We have identified a large proportion with significant structural disease, which has allowed for early surgical intervention when appropriate and may potentially result in improved patient outcomes.
Anterior sensory organs in Sabellariidae (Annelida)
Authors: Faroni‐Perez Larisse , Helm Conrad , Burghardt Ingo , Hutchings Pat , Capa María 
Published: November 2016

AbstractSensory organs in Annelida are very diverse and may be useful for assessments of morphological adaptation and character evolution. We used several methods to provide new insights into processes underlying the evolutionary radiation of anterior sensory organs in Sabellariidae. The presence and morphological diversity of the median organ (MO) found in the group was reviewed in order to test its phylogenetic significance and possible relationships to the distribution and ecological traits of the lineages. To test the intraspecific phenotypic plasticity of the MO, molecular analyses were conducted that focused on mitochondrial and nuclear genes from populations of Idanthyrsus australiensis exhibiting variation in the morphology of the MO. We used an integrative microscopical study of the ontogeny of Sabellaria alveolata to describe the anterior sensory structures present in the larvae and the morphological changes occurring before, during, and after settlement. In larval stages, the palps and the dorsal hump (DH) exhibit distinct innervation. The larval DH organ, which is likely to play a major role in chemoreception for settlement, is interpreted as being the incipient form of the adult MO. These results suggest that annelid sensory organs including the MO may be useful for phylogenetic and developmental investigations.
C‐C chemokine receptor type 5 deficiency exacerbates alcoholic fatty liver disease through pro‐inflammatory cytokines and chemokines‐induced hepatic inflammation
Authors: Park Ju Ho , Lee Dong Hun , Park Mork Soon , Jung Young Suk , Hong Jin Tae 
Published: November 2016

AbstractBackground and AimChemokines and chemokine receptors implicated with alcoholic liver disease. Studies have shown that inflammation and oxidative stress induce fat molecules aggregation in liver. We evaluated the relationship between alcoholic fatty liver disease and C‐C chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) and impact of inflammation and oxidative stress in fat molecule deposition.MethodsLieber–DeCarli diet containing ethanol or isocaloric control diets were fed to wild‐type and CCR5 knockout mice for 10 days and gavaged with a single dose of ethanol or isocaloric maltose dextrin at 11th day. Cytokine, chemokine, and reactive oxygen species levels were measured in liver tissues to study the role of CCR5 in alcoholic fatty liver disease.ResultsC‐C chemokine receptor type 5 knockout mice exacerbated ethanol‐induced liver injury. Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were higher in CCR5 knockout mice than wild‐type mice, and CCR5 knockout mice showed more severe lipid accumulation in liver tissue than wild‐type mice after ethanol feeding. Increased expressions of pro‐inflammatory cytokines TNF‐α and IL‐6 and chemokines CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, and CCL5 result in exacerbation of hepatitis in CCR5 knockout mice after ethanol feeding. Oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species was more severe in CCR5 knockout mice, and increasing level of fatty acid import and decreasing level of lipid degradation resulted in lipid accumulation in ethanol‐fed CCR5 knockout mice.ConclusionDeficiency of CCR5 exacerbates alcoholic fatty liver disease by hepatic inflammation induced by pro‐inflammatory cytokines and chemokines and oxidative stress.
Muscle Mass Loss Is a Potential Predictor of 90‐Day Mortality in Older Adults with Aspiration Pneumonia
Authors: Maeda Keisuke , Akagi Junji 
Published: November 2016

ObjectivesTo investigate the association between loss of muscle mass and aspiration pneumonia (AP).DesignProspective observational cohort.SettingAcute geriatric hospital.ParticipantsIndividuals admitted to the hospital for AP (N = 151; mean age 85.9; 49.7% male).MeasurementsAppendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI; appendicular skeletal muscle mass divided by height squared) was used to evaluate muscle mass. Data on age, sex, body mass index, Mini Nutritional Assessment—Short Form score, Barthel Index score, Charlson Comorbidity Index score, and pneumonia severity (Japanese version of the CURB‐65 (C (confusion), U (blood urea nitrogen ≥20 mg/dL), R (respiratory rate ≥30 breaths/min), B (systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≤60 mmHg), 65 (aged ≥65) severity score (A‐DROP)) were obtained. Outcomes included 30‐ and 90‐day mortality.ResultsMild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe AP were observed in 1.3%, 70.2%, 25.8%, and 2.6% of participants, respectively. On Kaplan‐Meier analysis, participants in the lowest ASMI quartile for each sex were more likely to die than those in the other quartiles (log‐lank test P = .005). Multivariate logistic analyses showed that ASMI and A‐DROP were independent predictors of 90‐day mortality; only A‐DROP was a significant predictor of 30‐day mortality (P < .001). Cox regression analysis also showed that the first ASMI quartile was independently associated with mortality (hazard ratio = 2.19; 95% confidence interval = 1.06–4.52; P = .03).ConclusionLow muscle mass is a potential predictor of long‐term mortality in individuals with AP. Prospectively preventing muscle mass deterioration may be beneficial for recovery from AP in older adults.
Microbial Inoculants with Multifaceted Traits Suppress Rhizoctonia Populations and Promote Plant Growth in Cotton
Authors: Prasanna Radha , Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian , Ranjan Kunal , Venkatachalam Siddarthan , Kanchan Amrita , Solanki Priyanka , Monga Dilip , Shivay Yashbir S. , Kranthi Sandhya 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThe suppressive effects of microbial inoculants on cotton seedling mortality were assessed in Rhizoctonia solani‐infested soil. Per cent mortality ranged from 16 to 32 (60–120 days after sowing, DAS) and significant differences were recorded at 120 DAS, especially after drenching with compost tea of Azotobacter sp. and Anabaena torulosa—Trichoderma viride‐biofilmed formulations. The activity of hydrolytic enzymes was reduced in diseased root tissues due to a majority of the microbially inoculated treatments, compared with healthy root tissues. Per cent changes in the amounts of glomalin‐related soil proteins (GRSPs) were 2 to 85% greater than those of the uninoculated experimental controls. These microbial inoculants altered the rhizosphere bacterial communities as evident from the Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) banding patterns and, also reduced the population of R. solani. While the copy numbers of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene of R. solani in the uninoculated (infested soil) were approximately 1.47 × 1011 per g soil, they were 1.34–1.42 × 105 per g soil after the application of A. torulosa, Anabaena laxa and A. torulosa–Bacillus sp. Increases in yield (ranging from 3 to 23%) due to various microbial inoculants relative to uninoculated controls illustrated their promise as plant growth‐promoting and disease‐suppressing agents. This study illustrates the modulation of rhizosphere ecology through microbial inoculants as a mechanism of disease suppression and sustaining plant growth.
Effects of dietary supplementation with a chlorella by‐product on the growth performance, immune response, intestinal microflora and intestinal mucosal morphology in broiler chickens
Authors: Kang H. K. , Park S. B. , Kim C. H. 
Published: November 2016

SummaryThis study aimed to determine the effect of different dietary levels of a Chlorella by‐product (CBP) on the growth performance, immune response, intestinal microflora and intestinal mucosal morphology of broilers. In total, 480 one‐day‐old broiler chickens were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments with four replicated pens consisting of 30 chicks. The basal diet was formulated to be adequate in energy and nutrients. Three additional diets were prepared by supplementing 25, 50 or 75 g/kg of CBP to the basal diet. The diets were fed to the broilers ad libitum for 35 days. Result indicated that increasing inclusion level of CBP improved BW gain (linear, p < 0.05). There was no effect of inclusion level of CBP in diets on total cholesterol, triglyceride, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels during the 35 days. Plasma IgG, IgM and IgA concentrations increased (linear, p < 0.05) with inclusion level of CBP in diets. Supplementation of CBP in the diets increased (linear, p < 0.05) the concentrations of Lactobacillus in the caecal content and decreased (linear, p < 0.05) the concentrations of Escherichia coli and Salmonella in the caecal content. Villus height increased (linear and quadratic, p < 0.05) with inclusion level of CBP in diets. Crypt depth increased (quadratic, p < 0.05) with inclusion level of CBP, and a decreased villus height: crypt depth ratio (quadratic, p < 0.05) was observed as inclusion level of CBP in diets increased. The results of the current experiment indicate that dietary supplementation of CBP improves growth performance of birds. Dietary CBP has improving Lactobacillus spp. concentrations in the gastrointestinal tract, plasma immunoglobulin concentrations and intestinal mucosal morphology.