bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Using cross-sectional surveys to estimate the number of severely malnourished children needing to be enrolled in specific treatment programmes
Authors: Dale Nancy M , Myatt Mark , Prudhon Claudine , Briend André 
Published: January 2017

AbstractObjectiveWhen planning severe acute malnutrition (SAM) treatment services, estimates of the number of children requiring treatment are needed. Prevalence surveys, used with population estimates, can directly estimate the number of prevalent cases but not the number of subsequent incident cases. Health managers often use a prevalence-to-incidence conversion factor (J) derived from two African cohort studies to estimate incidence and add the expected number of incident cases to prevalent cases to estimate expected SAM caseload for a given period. The present study aimed to estimate J empirically in different contexts.DesignObservational study, with J estimated by correlating expected numbers of children to be treated, based on prevalence surveys, population estimates and assumed coverage, with the observed numbers of SAM patients treated.SettingSurvey and programme data from six African and Asian countries.SubjectsTwenty-four data sets including prevalence surveys and programme admissions data for 5 months following the survey.ResultsA statistically significant relationship between the number of SAM cases admitted to SAM treatment services and the estimated burden of SAM from prevalence surveys was found. Estimate for the slope (intercept forced to be zero) was 2·17 (95 % CI 1·33, 3·79). Estimates for the prevalence-to-incidence conversion factor J varied from 2·81 to 11·21, assuming programme coverage of 100 % and 38 %, respectively.ConclusionsEstimation of expected caseload from prevalence may require revision of the currently used prevalence-to-incidence conversion factor J of 1·6. Appropriate values for J may vary between different locations.
An evaluation of communication barriers and facilitators at the time of a mental health diagnosis: a survey of health professional practices
Authors: Milton A. C. , Mullan B. , MacCann C. , Hunt C. 
Published: January 2017

Aims.To examine health professionals’ views and practices relating to the specific barriers to communication that arise at the time of mental health diagnosis, and the strategies used to support individuals throughout this process.Methods.An online survey of the beliefs and practices of 131 mental health clinicians working in different clinical settings across Australia was conducted.Results.Exploratory factor analysis of the items relating to barriers to communication resulted in three latent factors (‘stigma, diagnosis and risk’; ‘service structure’; and ‘individual circumstances’ such as the person receiving the diagnosis being young, having a culturally and linguistically diverse background or being unwell at the time of conversation). Using linear regression it was found that variance in ‘stigma, diagnosis and risk’ was significantly explained by whether participating clinicians had medical training, their experience working with serious mental health problems, their confidence handling distress and attitude towards diagnosis. Variance in ‘individual circumstances’ was significantly explained by participating clinicians’ confidence handling distress. The most frequently used strategies to support diagnostic discussions centred on the health professionals’ communication skills, gauging the individual's perception of their circumstances, responding with empathy, following-up after discussion, addressing stigma concerns, using collaborative practice and setting up for the conversation.Conclusions.Three main areas for health professionals to reflect on, plan for and ultimately address when discussing news with the individual concerned emerged (‘stigma, diagnosis and risk’; ‘service structure’; and ‘individual circumstances’). Variations in practice indicate that practitioners should be cognisant of their own beliefs and background and how this impacts their communication practice.
Heiko Pälike Receives 2016 Asahiko Taira International Scientific Ocean Drilling Research Prize
Authors:   AGU
Published: January 2017

Heiko Pälike was awarded the 2016 Asahiko Taira International Scientific Ocean Drilling Research Prize at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, held on 14 December 2016 in San Francisco, Calif. The Taira Prize is a partnership between AGU and the Japan Geoscience Union (JpGU) and is made possible through a generous donation from the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Management International (IODP-MI). The prize honors an individual for "outstanding transdisciplinary research accomplishment in ocean drilling."
Erratum: Seasonal time bombs: dominant temperate viruses affect Southern Ocean microbial dynamics
Authors: Brum Jennifer R , Hurwitz Bonnie L , Schofield Oscar , Ducklow Hugh W , Sullivan Matthew B 
Published: January 2017

Abstract
Correction to: The ISME Journal (2016) 10, 400–415; doi:10.1038/ismej.2015.121; published online 21 August 2015 Updated online 21 September 2016: This article was originally published under NPG’s License to Publish, but has now been made available under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. The PDF and HTML versions of the paper have been modified accordingly.
Market forces influence helping behaviour in cooperatively breeding paper wasps
Authors: Grinsted Lena , Field Jeremy 
Published: January 2017

AbstractBiological market theory is potentially useful for understanding helping behaviour in animal societies. It predicts that competition for trading partners will affect the value of commodities exchanged. It has gained empirical support in cooperative breeders, where subordinates help dominant breeders in exchange for group membership, but so far without considering one crucial aspect: outside options. We find support for a biological market in paper wasps,Polistes dominula. We first show that females have a choice of cooperative partners. Second, by manipulating entire subpopulations in the field, we increase the supply of outside options for subordinates, freeing up suitable nesting spots and providing additional nesting partners. We predicted that by intensifying competition for help, our manipulation would force dominants to accept a lower price for group membership. As expected, subordinates reduce their foraging effort following our treatments. We conclude that to accurately predict the amount of help provided, social units cannot be viewed in isolation: the surrounding market must also be considered.
Telomeres in ICF syndrome cells are vulnerable to DNA damage due to elevated DNA:RNA hybrids
Authors: Sagie Shira , Toubiana Shir , Hartono Stella R. , Katzir Hagar , Tzur-Gilat Aya , Havazelet Shany , Francastel Claire , Velasco Guillaume , Chédin Frédéric , Selig Sara 
Published: January 2017

AbstractDNA:RNA hybrids, nucleic acid structures with diverse physiological functions, can disrupt genome integrity when dysregulated. Human telomeres were shown to form hybrids with the lncRNA TERRA, yet the formation and distribution of these hybrids among telomeres, their regulation and their cellular effects remain elusive. Here we predict and confirm in several human cell types that DNA:RNA hybrids form at many subtelomeric and telomeric regions. We demonstrate that ICF syndrome cells, which exhibit short telomeres and elevated TERRA levels, are enriched for hybrids at telomeric regions throughout the cell cycle. Telomeric hybrids are associated with high levels of DNA damage at chromosome ends in ICF cells, which are significantly reduced with overexpression of RNase H1. Our findings suggest that abnormally high TERRA levels in ICF syndrome lead to accumulation of telomeric hybrids that, in turn, can result in telomeric dysfunction.
Snf1-related kinase improves cardiac mitochondrial efficiency and decreases mitochondrial uncoupling
Authors: Rines Amy K. , Chang Hsiang-Chun , Wu Rongxue , Sato Tatsuya , Khechaduri Arineh , Kouzu Hidemichi , Shapiro Jason , Shang Meng , Burke Michael A. , Abdelwahid Eltyeb , Jiang Xinghang , Chen Chunlei , Rawlings Tenley A. , Lopaschuk Gary D. , Schumacker Paul T. , Abel E. Dale , Ardehali Hossein 
Published: January 2017

AbstractIschaemic heart disease limits oxygen and metabolic substrate availability to the heart, resulting in tissue death. Here, we demonstrate that the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-related protein Snf1-related kinase (SNRK) decreases cardiac metabolic substrate usage and mitochondrial uncoupling, and protects against ischaemia/reperfusion. Hearts from transgenic mice overexpressing SNRK have decreased glucose and palmitate metabolism and oxygen consumption, but maintained power and function. They also exhibit decreased uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) and mitochondrial uncoupling. Conversely, Snrk knockout mouse hearts have increased glucose and palmitate oxidation and UCP3. SNRK knockdown in cardiac cells decreases mitochondrial efficiency, which is abolished with UCP3 knockdown. We show that Tribbles homologue 3 (Trib3) binds to SNRK, and downregulates UCP3 through PPARα. Finally, SNRK is increased in cardiomyopathy patients, and SNRK reduces infarct size after ischaemia/reperfusion. SNRK also decreases cardiac cell death in a UCP3-dependent manner. Our results suggest that SNRK improves cardiac mitochondrial efficiency and ischaemic protection.
Superior colliculus neurons encode a visual saliency map during free viewing of natural dynamic video
Authors: White Brian J. , Berg David J. , Kan Janis Y. , Marino Robert A. , Itti Laurent , Munoz Douglas P. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractModels of visual attention postulate the existence of a saliency map whose function is to guide attention and gaze to the most conspicuous regions in a visual scene. Although cortical representations of saliency have been reported, there is mounting evidence for a subcortical saliency mechanism, which pre-dates the evolution of neocortex. Here, we conduct a strong test of the saliency hypothesis by comparing the output of a well-established computational saliency model with the activation of neurons in the primate superior colliculus (SC), a midbrain structure associated with attention and gaze, while monkeys watched video of natural scenes. We find that the activity of SC superficial visual-layer neurons (SCs), specifically, is well-predicted by the model. This saliency representation is unlikely to be inherited from fronto-parietal cortices, which do not project to SCs, but may be computed in SCs and relayed to other areas via tectothalamic pathways.
Newborn chicks show inherited variability in early social predispositions for hen-like stimuli
Authors: Versace Elisabetta , Fracasso Ilaria , Baldan Gabriele , Dalle Zotte Antonella , Vallortigara Giorgio 
Published: January 2017

AbstractPredispositions of newborn vertebrates to preferentially attend to living beings and learn about them are pervasive. Their disturbance (e.g. in neonates at risk for autism), may compromise the proper development of a social brain. The genetic bases of such predispositions are unknown. We use the well-known visual preferences of newly-hatched chicks (Gallus gallus) for the head/neck region of the hen to investigate the presence of segregating variation in the predispositions to approach a stuffed hen vs. a scrambled version of it. We compared the spontaneous preferences of three breeds maintained genetically isolated for at least eighteen years while identically raised. Visually-naïve chicks of all breeds (Padovana, Polverara and Robusta maculata) showed the same initial preference for the predisposed stimulus, suggesting that the direction of the initial preference might be genetically fixed. A few minutes later though, striking differences emerged between breeds, which could indicate different strategies of dealing with affiliative objects: while the Polverara breed maintained a constant preference across the entire test, the Padovana and Robusta breeds progressively explored the alternative stimulus more. We hence documented the presence of inherited genetic variability in the expression of early social predispositions in interaction with environmental stimuli.
Increase of the Antarctic Sea Ice Extent is highly significant only in the Ross Sea
Authors: Yuan Naiming , Ding Minghu , Ludescher Josef , Bunde Armin 
Published: January 2017

AbstractIn the context of global warming, the question of why Antarctic sea ice extent (SIE) has increased is one of the most fundamental unsolved mysteries. Although many mechanisms have been proposed, it is still unclear whether the increasing trend is anthropogenically originated or only caused by internal natural variability. In this study, we employ a new method where the underlying natural persistence in the Antarctic SIE can be correctly accounted for. We find that the Antarctic SIE is not simply short-term persistent as assumed in the standard significance analysis, but actually characterized by a combination of both short- and long-term persistence. By generating surrogate data with the same persistence properties, the SIE trends over Antarctica (as well as five sub-regions) are evaluated using Monte-Carlo simulations. It is found that the SIE trends over most sub-regions of Antarctica are not statistically significant. Only the SIE over Ross Sea has experienced a highly significant increasing trend (p = 0.008) which cannot be explained by natural variability. Influenced by the positive SIE trend over Ross Sea, the SIE over the entire Antarctica also increased over the past decades, but the trend is only at the edge of being significant (p = 0.034).
Selection of reference genes is critical for miRNA expression analysis in human cardiac tissue. A focus on atrial fibrillation
Authors: Masè Michela , Grasso Margherita , Avogaro Laura , D’Amato Elvira , Tessarolo Francesco , Graffigna Angelo , Denti Michela Alessandra , Ravelli Flavia 
Published: January 2017

AbstractMicroRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as key regulators of complex biological processes in several cardiovascular diseases, including atrial fibrillation (AF). Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction is a powerful technique to quantitatively assess miRNA expression profile, but reliable results depend on proper data normalization by suitable reference genes. Despite the increasing number of studies assessing miRNAs in cardiac disease, no consensus on the best reference genes has been reached. This work aims to assess reference genes stability in human cardiac tissue with a focus on AF investigation. We evaluated the stability of five reference genes (U6, SNORD48, SNORD44, miR-16, and 5S) in atrial tissue samples from eighteen cardiac-surgery patients in sinus rhythm and AF. Stability was quantified by combining BestKeeper, delta-Cq, GeNorm, and NormFinder statistical tools. All methods assessed SNORD48 as the best and U6 as the worst reference gene. Applications of different normalization strategies significantly impacted miRNA expression profiles in the study population. Our results point out the necessity of a consensus on data normalization in AF studies to avoid the emergence of divergent biological conclusions.
Biological Membrane-Packed Mesenchymal Stem Cells Treat Acute Kidney Disease by Ameliorating Mitochondrial-Related Apoptosis
Authors: Geng Xiaodong , Hong Quan , Wang Weiwei , Zheng Wei , Li Ou , Cai Guangyan , Chen Xiangmei , Wu Di 
Published: January 2017

AbstractThe mortality of rhabdomyolysis-induced AKI remains high because no effective therapy exists. We investigated a new therapeutic method using MSCs. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic potential and anti-apoptotic mechanisms of action of MSCs in the treatment of AKI induced by glycerol in vivo and in vitro. We used Duragen as a biological membrane to pack MSCs on the glycerol-injured renal tissue in vivo. The anti-apoptotic mechanism was investigated. In vitro, HK-2 cells were incubated with ferrous myoglobin and MSCs-conditioned medium, followed by cell proliferation and apoptosis assays. We founded that packing MSCs on the injured renal tissue preserved renal function, ameliorated renal tubular lesions, and reduced apoptosis in the mice with glycerol-induced AKI. The MSC-conditioned medium improved HK-2 cell viability and inhibited apoptosis. These effects were reversed by the PI3K inhibitor LY294002. Biological membrane packing of MSCs on the renal tissue has a therapeutic rescue function by inhibiting cell apoptosis in vivo. MSCs protect renal cells from apoptosis induced by myoglobin in vitro. We have thus demonstrated MSCs reduced rhabdomyolysis-associated renal injury and cell apoptosis by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway and inhibiting apoptosis.
Determining the Photoisomerization Quantum Yield of Photoswitchable Molecules in Solution and in the Solid State
Authors: Stranius K. , Börjesson K. 
Published: January 2017

AbstractPhotoswitchable molecules are able to isomerize between two metastable forms through light stimuli. Originally being studied by photochemists, this type of molecule has now found a wide range of applications within physics, chemistry and biology. The extensive usage of photochromic molecules is due to the two isomers having fundamentally different physical and chemical properties. The most important attribute of a photoswitch is the photoisomerization quantum yield, which defines the efficiency of the photoisomerization event. Here we show how to determine the photoisomerization quantum yield in the solid state and in solution when taking thermal processes into account. The described method together with provided software allows for rapid and accurate determination of the isomerization process for this important class of molecules.
Highly Sensitive Marker Panel for Guidance in Lung Cancer Rapid Diagnostic Units
Authors: Blanco-Prieto Sonia , De Chiara Loretta , Rodríguez-Girondo Mar , Vázquez-Iglesias Lorena , Rodríguez-Berrocal Francisco Javier , Fernández-Villar Alberto , Botana-Rial María Isabel , de la Cadena María Páez 
Published: January 2017

AbstractWhile evidence for lung cancer screening implementation in Europe is awaited, Rapid Diagnostic Units have been established in many hospitals to accelerate the early diagnosis of lung cancer. We seek to develop an algorithm to detect lung cancer in a symptomatic population attending such unit, based on a sensitive serum marker panel. Serum concentrations of Epidermal Growth Factor, sCD26, Calprotectin, Matrix Metalloproteinases −1, −7, −9, CEA and CYFRA 21.1 were determined in 140 patients with respiratory symptoms (lung cancer and controls with/without benign pathology). Logistic Lasso regression was performed to derive a lung cancer prediction model, and the resulting algorithm was tested in a validation set. A classification rule based on EGF, sCD26, Calprotectin and CEA was established, able to reasonably discriminate lung cancer with 97% sensitivity and 43% specificity in the training set, and 91.7% sensitivity and 45.4% specificity in the validation set. Overall, the panel identified with high sensitivity stage I non-small cell lung cancer (94.7%) and 100% small-cell lung cancers. Our study provides a sensitive 4-marker classification algorithm for lung cancer detection to aid in the management of suspicious lung cancer patients in the context of Rapid Diagnostic Units.
CuMnOS Nanoflowers with Different Cu+/Cu2+ Ratios for the CO2-to-CH3OH and the CH3OH-to-H2 Redox Reactions
Authors: Chen Xiaoyun , Abdullah Hairus , Kuo Dong-Hau 
Published: January 2017

AbstractA conservative CO2-Methanol (CH3OH) regeneration cycle, to capture and reutilize the greenhouse gas of CO2 by aqueous hydrogenation for industry-useful CH3OH and to convert aqueous CH3OH solution by dehydrogenation for the clean energy of hydrogen (H2), is demonstrated at normal temperature and pressure (NTP) with two kinds of CuMnOS nanoflower catalysts. The [Cu+]-high CuMnOS led to a CH3OH yield of 21.1 mmol·g−1catal.·h−1 in the CuMnOS-CO2-H2O system and the other [Cu+]-low one had a H2 yield of 7.65 mmol·g−1catal.·h−1 in the CuMnOS-CH3OH-H2O system. The successful redox reactions at NTP rely on active lattice oxygen of CuMnOS catalysts and its charge (hole or electron) transfer ability between Cu+ and Cu2+. The CO2-hydrogenated CH3OH in aqueous solution is not only a fuel but also an ideal liquid hydrogen storage system for transportation application.
RNA interference-mediated knockdown of the hydroxyacid-oxoacid transhydrogenase gene decreases thiamethoxam resistance in adults of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci
Authors: Yang Xin , Xie Wen , Li Ru-mei , Zhou Xiao-mao , Wang Shao-li , Wu Qing-jun , Yang Ni-na , Xia Ji-xing , Yang Ze-zong , Guo Li-tao , Liu Ya-ting , Zhang You-jun 
Published: January 2017

AbstractBemisia tabaci has developed a high level of resistance to thiamethoxam, a second generation neonicotinoid insecticide that has been widely used to control this pest. In this study, we investigated whether hydroxyacid-oxoacid transhydrogenase (HOT) is involved in resistance to the neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam in the whitefly. We cloned the full-length gene that encodes HOT in B. tabaci. Its cDNA contains a 1428-bp open reading frame encoding 475 amino acid residues. Then we evaluated the mRNA expression level of HOT in different developmental stages, and found HOT expression was significantly greater in thiamethoxam resistance adults than in thiamethoxam susceptible adults. Subsequently, seven field populations of B. tabaci adults were sampled, the expression of mRNA level of HOT significant positive correlated with thiamethoxam resistance level. At last, we used a modified gene silencing system to knock-down HOT expression in B. tabaci adults. The results showed that the HOT mRNA levels decreased by 57% and thiamethoxam resistance decreased significantly after 2 days of feeding on a diet containing HOT dsRNA. The results indicated that down-regulation of HOT expression decreases thiamethoxam resistance in B. tabaci adults.
The green microalga Tetraselmis suecica reduces oxidative stress and induces repairing mechanisms in human cells
Authors: Sansone Clementina , Galasso Christian , Orefice Ida , Nuzzo Genoveffa , Luongo Elvira , Cutignano Adele , Romano Giovanna , Brunet Christophe , Fontana Angelo , Esposito Francesco , Ianora Adrianna 
Published: January 2017

AbstractGreen microalgae contain many active pigments such as carotenoids having antioxidant and protective activity on human cells. Here we investigate the biological activity of an ethanol/water extract of the marine green microalga Tetraselmis suecica containing high levels of carotenoids such as the xanthophylls lutein, violaxanthin, neoxanthin, antheraxanthin and loroxanthin esters. This extract has a strong antioxidant and repairing activity in the human lung cancer cell line (A549) as shown by the increased expression of dehydrocholesterol reductase-24 (DHCR24) and prostaglandin reductase 1 (PTGR1) genes and proteins. The extract also reduces prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels in cells damaged by H2O2 and has tissue repairing effects on reconstructed human epidermal tissue cells (EpiDermTM) indicating a potential cosmeceutical activity of this microalgal species.