bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of reproductive ageing on pregnant mouse uterus and cervix
Authors: Patel Rima , Moffatt James D. , Mourmoura Evangelia , Demaison Luc , Seed Paul T. , Poston Lucilla , Tribe Rachel M. 
Published: January 2017

Key points
Older pregnant women have a greater risk of operative delivery, still birth and post‐term induction.
This suggests that maternal age can influence the timing of birth and processes of parturition.
We have found that increasing maternal age in C57BL/6J mice is associated with prolongation of gestation and length of labour.
Older pregnant mice also had delayed progesterone withdrawal and impaired myometrial function.
Uterine ageing and labour dysfunction should be investigated further in older primigravid women.
AbstractAdvanced maternal age (≥35 years) is associated with increased rates of operative delivery, stillbirth and post‐term labour induction. The physiological causes remain uncertain, although impaired myometrial function has been implicated. To investigate the hypothesis that maternal age directly influences successful parturition, we assessed the timing of birth and fetal outcome in pregnant C57BL/6J mice at 3 months (young) and 5 months (intermediate) vs. 8 months (older) of age using infrared video recording. Serum progesterone profiles, myometrium and cervix function, and mitochondrial electron transport chain complex enzymatic activities were also examined. Older pregnant mice had a longer mean gestation and labour duration (P < 0.001), as well as reduced litter size (P < 0.01) vs. 3‐month‐old mice. Older mice did not exhibit the same decline in serum progesterone concentrations as younger mice. Cervical tissues from older mice were more distensible than younger mice (P < 0.05). Oxytocin receptor and connexin‐43 mRNA expression were reduced in the myometrium from 8‐month‐old vs. 3‐month‐old mice (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01 respectively) in tandem with more frequent but shorter duration spontaneous myometrial contractions (P < 0.05) and an attenuated contractile response to oxytocin. Myometrial mitochondrial copy number was reduced in older mice, although there were no age‐induced changes to the enzymatic activities of the mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes. In conclusion, 8‐month‐old mice provide a useful model of reproductive ageing. The present study has identified potential causes of labour dysfunction amenable to investigation in older primigravid women.
Loss of protohaem IX farnesyltransferase in mature dentate granule cells impairs short‐term facilitation at mossy fibre to CA3 pyramidal cell synapses
Authors: Booker Sam A. , Campbell Graham R. , Mysiak Karolina S. , Brophy Peter J. , Kind Peter C. , Mahad Don J. , Wyllie David J. A. 
Published: January 2017

Key points
Neurodegenerative disorders can exhibit dysfunctional mitochondrial respiratory chain complex IV activity.
Conditional deletion of cytochrome c oxidase, the terminal enzyme in the respiratory electron transport chain of mitochondria, from hippocampal dentate granule cells in mice does not affect low‐frequency dentate to CA3 glutamatergic synaptic transmission.
High‐frequency dentate to CA3 glutamatergic synaptic transmission and feedforward inhibition are significantly attenuated in cytochrome c oxidase‐deficient mice.
Intact presynaptic mitochondrial function is critical for the short‐term dynamics of mossy fibre to CA3 synaptic function.
AbstractNeurodegenerative disorders are characterized by peripheral and central symptoms including cognitive impairments which have been associated with reduced mitochondrial function, in particular mitochondrial respiratory chain complex IV or cytochrome c oxidase activity. In the present study we conditionally removed a key component of complex IV, protohaem IX farnesyltransferase encoded by the COX10 gene, in granule cells of the adult dentate gyrus. Utilizing whole‐cell patch‐clamp recordings from morphologically identified CA3 pyramidal cells from control and complex IV‐deficient mice, we found that reduced mitochondrial function did not result in overt deficits in basal glutamatergic synaptic transmission at the mossy‐fibre synapse because the amplitude, input–output relationship and 50 ms paired‐pulse facilitation were unchanged following COX10 removal from dentate granule cells. However, trains of stimuli given at high frequency (> 20 Hz) resulted in dramatic reductions in short‐term facilitation and, at the highest frequencies (> 50 Hz), also reduced paired‐pulse facilitation, suggesting a requirement for adequate mitochondrial function to maintain glutamate release during physiologically relevant activity patterns. Interestingly, local inhibition was reduced, suggesting the effect observed was not restricted to synapses with CA3 pyramidal cells via large mossy‐fibre boutons, but rather to all synapses formed by dentate granule cells. Therefore, presynaptic mitochondrial function is critical for the short‐term dynamics of synapse function, which may contribute to the cognitive deficits observed in pathological mitochondrial dysfunction.
Load Accommodation Strategies and Movement Variability in Single-Leg Landing
Authors: Nordin Andrew D. , Dufek Janet S. 
Published: January 2017

Our purpose was to examine changes in participant-specific single-leg landing strategies and intra-individual movement variability following alterations in mechanical task demands via external load and landing height. Nineteen healthy volunteers (15M, 4 F, age: 24.3 ± 4.9 y, mass: 78.5 ± 14.7 kg, height: 1.73 ± 0.08 m) were analyzed among 9 single-leg drop landing trials in each of 6 experimental conditions (3 load and 2 landing height) computed as percentages of participant bodyweight (BW, BW + 12.5%, BW + 25%) and height (H12.5% & H25%). Lower-extremity sagittal joint angles and moments (hip, knee, and ankle), vertical ground reaction forces (GRFz), and electrical muscle activities (gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, vastus medialis, medial gastrocnemius, and tibialis anterior muscles) were analyzed. Individual single-leg drop landing strategies were identified using landing impulse predictions and the Load Accommodation Strategies Model (James et al., 2014). Intra-individual movement variability was assessed from neuromechanical synergies extracted using single-case principal component analyses (PCA). Fewer contrasting single-leg landing strategies were identified among participants under greater mechanical task demands (p < .001) alongside lesser intra-individual movement variability (p < .001). These results reveal changes in movement control under greater mechanical task demands, which may have implications for understanding overuse injury mechanisms in landing.
Complete Genome Sequence of Lleida Bat Lyssavirus
Authors: Marston Denise A. , Ellis Richard J. , Wise Emma L. , Aréchiga-Ceballos Nidia , Freuling Conrad M. , Banyard Ashley C. , McElhinney Lorraine M. , de Lamballerie Xavier , Müller Thomas , Fooks Anthony R. , Echevarría Juan E. 
Published: January 2017

ABSTRACT

All lyssaviruses (family
Rhabdoviridae
) cause the disease rabies, an acute progressive encephalitis for which, once symptoms occur, there is no effective cure. Using next-generation sequencing, the full-genome sequence for a novel lyssavirus, Lleida bat lyssavirus (LLEBV), from the original brain of a common bent-winged bat has been confirmed.
First Complete Genome Sequence of
Papaya ringspot
virus
-W Isolated from a Gourd in the United States
Authors: Ali Akhtar 
Published: January 2017

ABSTRACT

In the United States, the
Papaya ringspot virus
was first reported from papaya in Florida in 1949. Here, we determined the first complete genome sequence (10,302 nucleotides) of a
Papaya ringspot virus
-W isolate, which was collected from a commercial field of gourd in Tulsa, OK.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Plant Growth–Promoting Pseudomonas punonensis Strain D1-6 Isolated from the Desert Plant
Erodium hirtum
in Jordan
Authors: Lafi Feras F. , AlBladi Maha L. , Salem Nida M. , Al-Banna Luma , Alam Intikhab , Bajic Vladimir B. , Hirt Heribert , Saad Maged M. 
Published: January 2017

ABSTRACT

Pseudomonas punonensis
strain D1-6 was isolated from roots of the desert plant
Erodium hirtum
, near the Dead Sea in Jordan. The genome of strain D1-6 reveals several key plant growth–promoting and herbicide-resistance genes, indicating a possible specialized role for this endophyte.
Draft Genome Sequence of JVAP01
T
, the Type Strain of the Novel Species Acinetobacter dijkshoorniae
Authors: Fernández-Orth Dietmar , Cosgaya Clara , Telli Murat , Mosqueda Noraida , Marí-Almirall Marta , Roca Ignasi , Vila Jordi 
Published: January 2017

ABSTRACT

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of the type strain of
Acinetobacter dijkshoorniae
, a novel human pathogen within the
Acinetobacter calcoaceticus
–
Acinetobacter baumannii
(ACB) complex. Strain JVAP01
T
has an estimated genome size of 3.9 Mb, exhibits a 38.8% G+C content, and carries a plasmid with the
bla
NDM-1
carbapenemase gene.
Reporting Characteristics and Risk of Bias in Randomised Controlled Trials of Acupuncture Analgesia Published in Pubmed-Listed Journals
Authors: Li Xiuxia , Wang Rong , Shi Xiue , Chen Zehao , Pan Yuanqing , Li Xusheng , Yang Kehu 
Published: January 2017

Background Acupuncture analgesia has been evaluated by a number of randomised controlled trials (RCTs); however, a systematic summary of reporting quality of RCTs in this specific field is lacking. Objective To examine the reporting characteristics and risk of bias of RCTs of acupuncture analgesia indexed in the PubMed database. Methods A PubMed search of RCTs of acupuncture analgesia was conducted through November 2015. The Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool was used to assess the risk of bias of each trial. Results 206 articles were identified across 59 journals (impact factor 0.4–20), of which 56% of articles and 86% of journals were Science Citation Index (SCI)-indexed. Nearly half of the articles were published in China. The next most represented countries of origin were the UK (22%) and USA (21%). Of the included trials, postoperative pain was the most prevalent phenotype, and manual acupuncture was the most frequently applied type of stimulation (46%). A total of 12% of articles reported on analgesic mechanisms. The most frequently used acupuncture points were LI4, ST36, PC6, SP6 and Shenmen. The overwhelming majority of trials were considered to be at high risk of bias (84%). Furthermore, 79% of trials enrolled <50 participants per treatment arm. Conclusions RCTs of acupuncture analgesia indexed in PubMed journals generally exhibited poor reporting of methodological and treatment details. Future studies should provide more information regarding clinical trial registration, blinding of participants (including sham procedures where applicable) and outcome assessors, as well as the training and qualification of acupuncturists.
Case characteristics among Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus outbreak and non-outbreak cases in Saudi Arabia from 2012 to 2015
Authors: Alhamlan F S , Majumder M S , Brownstein J S , Hawkins J , Al-Abdely H M , Alzahrani A , Obaid D A , Al-Ahdal M N , BinSaeed A 
Published: January 2017

ObjectivesAs of 1 November 2015, the Saudi Ministry of Health had reported 1273 cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS); among these cases, which included 9 outbreaks at several hospitals, 717 (56%) patients recovered, 14 (1%) remain hospitalised and 543 (43%) died. This study aimed to determine the epidemiological, demographic and clinical characteristics that distinguished cases of MERS contracted during outbreaks from those contracted sporadically (ie, non-outbreak) between 2012 and 2015 in Saudi Arabia.DesignData from the Saudi Ministry of Health of confirmed outbreak and non-outbreak cases of MERS coronavirus (CoV) infections from September 2012 through October 2015 were abstracted and analysed. Univariate and descriptive statistical analyses were conducted, and the time between disease onset and confirmation, onset and notification and onset and death were examined.ResultsA total of 1250 patients (aged 0–109 years; mean, 50.825 years) were reported infected with MERS-CoV. Approximately two-thirds of all MERS cases were diagnosed in men for outbreak and non-outbreak cases. Healthcare workers comprised 22% of all MERS cases for outbreak and non-outbreak cases. Nosocomial infections comprised one-third of all Saudi MERS cases; however, nosocomial infections occurred more frequently in outbreak than non-outbreak cases (p<0.001). Patients contracting MERS during an outbreak were significantly more likely to die of MERS (p<0.001).ConclusionsTo date, nosocomial infections have fuelled MERS outbreaks. Given that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a worldwide religious travel destination, localised outbreaks may have massive global implications and effective outbreak preventive measures are needed.
Psychosocial well-being and health-related quality of life in a UK population with Usher syndrome
Authors: Dean Gavin , Orford Amy , Staines Roy , McGee Anna , Smith Kimberley J 
Published: January 2017

ObjectivesTo determine whether psychosocial well-being is associated with the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of people with Usher syndrome.SettingThe survey was advertised online and through deafblind-related charities, support groups and social groups throughout the UK.Participants90 people with Usher syndrome took part in the survey. Inclusion criteria are having a diagnosis of Usher syndrome, being 18 or older and being a UK resident.Primary and secondary outcome measuresAll participants took part in a survey that measured depressive symptoms, loneliness and social support (predictors) and their physical and mental HRQOL (outcomes). Measured confounders included age-related, sex-related and health-related characteristics. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses examined the association of each psychosocial well-being predictor with the physical and mental HRQOL outcomes while controlling for confounders in a stepwise manner.ResultsAfter adjusting for all confounders, psychosocial well-being was shown to predict physical and mental HRQOL in our population with Usher syndrome. Increasing depressive symptoms were predictive of poorer physical (β=−0.36, p<0.01) and mental (β=−0.60, p<0.001) HRQOL. Higher levels of loneliness predicted poorer mental HRQOL (β=−0.20, p<0.05). Finally, increasing levels of social support predicted better mental HRQOL (β=0.19, p<0.05).ConclusionsDepression, loneliness and social support all represent important issues that are linked with HRQOL in a UK population with Usher syndrome. Our results add to the growing body of evidence that psychosocial well-being is an important factor to consider in people with Usher syndrome alongside functional and physical impairment within research and clinical practice.
Modifying head nurse messages during daily conversations as leverage for safety climate improvement: a randomised field experiment
Authors: Zohar Dov , Werber Yaron T , Marom Ronen , Curlau Bruria , Blondheim Orna 
Published: January 2017

BackgroundRecent literature reviews lament the paucity of high-quality intervention studies designed to test safety culture improvement in hospitals. The current study adapts an empirically supported strategy developed for manufacturing companies by focusing on patient care and safety messages head nurses communicate during daily conversations with nurses.MethodsThe study was designed as randomised control trial coupled with before-after measurement of outcome variables. We randomly assigned 445 nurses working in 27 inpatient departments in a midsize hospital in Israel to experimental and control groups. Ten randomly chosen nurses in both groups filled a brief questionnaire referring to last conversation with head nurse. One month later, head nurses in the experimental group received individual feedback, comparing individual with mean hospital scores, coupled with self-set goals for the following feedback session. Head nurses in the control group received no feedback, except for a summary report by the end of intervention.ResultsPatient care messages increased by 16% and professional development messages by 12%, accompanied by 17% decline in nurse-blaming messages in the experimental group, remaining unchanged in the control group. Such changes led to statistically significant increase in patient care behaviours (17%), safety climate (13%), teamwork (9%) and supervisory leadership quality (18%). Rule-compliance messages and workaround behaviours remained unchanged in experimental and control departments.ConclusionsThese data support the utility of our intervention strategy for improving patient safety climate and resultant caring behaviours in healthcare organisations. The fact that our intervention used easy-to-deliver feedback requiring only two sessions minimised its organisational costs.
Predictors of peripheral arterial disease in SLE change with patient’s age
Authors: Erdozain Jose-Gabriel , Villar Irama , Nieto Javier , Ruiz-Arruza Ioana , Ruiz-Irastorza Guillermo 
Published: January 2017

ObjectiveTo analyse the differential influence of risk factors of peripheral artery disease (PAD) according to age in patients with SLE.Methods216 patients from the Lupus-Cruces cohort were divided in three age groups: ≤34 years, 35–49 years and ≥50 years. A low ankle–brachial index defined PAD. Significant variables were identified by univariant and multivariant analysis in each age group.ResultsDifferent factors were identified in different age groups: antiphospholipid antibodies/antiphospholipid syndrome and glucocorticoids in patients ≤34 years; in patients 35–49 years old, hypertension was the only statistically significant predictor, although a trend was observed for fibrinogen levels; a trend was observed for hypercholesterolaemia in those ≥50 years.ConclusionsAge may modulate the influence of risk factors for PAD in patients with SLE.
Scutellaria baicalensis Ameliorates Acute Lung Injury by Suppressing Inflammation In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Chen Jian-Jung , Huang Chung-Chun , Chang Heng-Yuan , Li Pei-Ying , Liang Yu-Chia , Deng Jeng-Shyan , Huang Shyh-Shyun , Huang Guan-Jhong 
Published: January 2017

Scutellaria baicalensis has been widely used as both a dietary ingredient and traditional herbal medicine in Taiwan to treat inflammation, cancer, and bacterial and viral infections of the respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract. This paper aims to investigate the in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory effects of S. baicalensis. In HPLC analysis, the fingerprint chromatogram of the water extract of S. baicalensis (WSB) was established. The anti-inflammatory effects of WSB were inverstigated using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated mouse macrophage (RAW264.7) in vitro and LPS-induced lung injury in vivo. WSB attenuated the production of LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-[Formula: see text], interleukin-[Formula: see text] (IL-1[Formula: see text], and IL-6 in vitro and in vivo. Pretreatment with WSB markedly reduced the LPS-induced histological alterations in lung tissues. Furthermore, WSB significantly reduced the number of total cells and the protein concentration levels in the BALF. WSB blocked protein expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), phosphorylation of I[Formula: see text]B-[Formula: see text] protein and MAPKs in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells and LPS-induce lung injury was also blocked. This study suggests that WSB possesses anti-inflammatory effects in vitro and in vivo, and the results suggested that WSB may be a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.
Bottomonium-like states: Physics case for energy scan above the BB̄ threshold at Belle-II
Authors: Bondar A. E. , Mizuk R. V. , Voloshin M. B. 
Published: January 2017

The Belle-II experiment is expected to collect large data samples at the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] resonances to study primarily [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] mesons. We discuss what other data above the [Formula: see text] threshold are of interest. We propose to perform a high-statistics energy scan from the [Formula: see text] threshold up to the highest possible energy, and to collect data at the [Formula: see text] and at higher mass states if they are found in the scan. We emphasize the interest in increasing the maximal energy from 11.24 GeV to 11.5–12 GeV in the future. These data are needed for the investigation of bottomonium and bottomonium-like states.
Cardiovascular function in male and female JCR:LA-cp rats: effect of high-fat/high-sucrose diet
Authors: Hunter Ian , Soler Amanda , Joseph Gregory , Hutcheson Brenda , Bradford Chastity , Zhang Frank Fan , Potter Barry , Proctor Spencer , Rocic Petra 
Published: January 2017

Thirty percent of the world population is diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. High-fat/high-sucrose (HF/HS) diet (Western diet) correlates with metabolic syndrome prevalence. We characterized effects of the HF/HS diet on vascular (arterial stiffness, vasoreactivity, and coronary collateral development) and cardiac (echocardiography) function, oxidative stress, and inflammation in a rat model of metabolic syndrome (JCR rats). Furthermore, we determined whether male versus female animals were affected differentially by the Western diet. Cardiovascular function in JCR male rats was impaired versus normal Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. HF/HS diet compromised cardiovascular (dys)function in JCR but not SD male rats. In contrast, cardiovascular function was minimally impaired in JCR female rats on normal chow. However, cardiovascular function in JCR female rats on the HF/HS diet deteriorated to levels comparable to JCR male rats on the HF/HS diet. Similarly, oxidative stress was markedly increased in male but not female JCR rats on normal chow but was equally exacerbated by the HF/HS diet in male and female JCR rats. These results indicate that the Western diet enhances oxidative stress and cardiovascular dysfunction in metabolic syndrome and eliminates the protective effect of female sex on cardiovascular function, implying that both males and females with metabolic syndrome are at equal risk for cardiovascular disease. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Western diet abolished protective effect of sex against cardiovascular disease (CVD) development in premenopausal animals with metabolic syndrome. Western diet accelerates progression of CVD in male and female animals with preexisting metabolic syndrome but not normal animals. Exacerbation of baseline oxidative stress correlates with accelerated progression of CVD in metabolic syndrome animals on Western diet.