bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Several Conventional Risk Markers Suggesting Presence of Albuminuria Are Weak Among Rural Africans With Hypertension
Authors: Rasmussen Jon B. , Nordin Lovisa S. , Thomsen Jakúp A. , Rossing Peter , Bygbjerg Ib C. , Christensen Dirk L. 
Published: August 2015

The objective of this cross‐sectional study was to investigate risk markers indicating the presence of albuminuria in patients with hypertension in rural sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). Urine albumin‐creatinine ratio, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood pressure, anthropometry, and other patient characteristics including medications were assessed. We identified 160 patients with hypertension, of whom 68 (42.5%) were co‐diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM). Among the included participants, 57 (35.6%) had albuminuria (microalbuminuria [n=43] and macroalbuminuria [n=14]). A backward multivariate logistic regression model identified age (per 10‐year increment) (odds ratio [OR], 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–1.95), HbA1c >53 compared with <48 mmol/mol (OR, 3.81; 95% CI, 1.74–8.35), and treatment with dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (OR, 2.59; 95% CI, 1.09–6.16) as the variables significantly associated with albuminuria. Only dysregulated DM and age were the conventional risk markers that seemed to suggest albuminuria among patients with hypertension in rural SSA.
The development of executive function and language skills in the early school years
Authors: Gooch Debbie , Thompson Paul , Nash Hannah M. , Snowling Margaret J. , Hulme Charles 
Published: August 2015

BackgroundThe developmental relationships between executive functions (EF) and early language skills are unclear. This study explores the longitudinal relationships between children's early EF and language skills in a sample of children with a wide range of language abilities including children at risk of dyslexia. In addition, we investigated whether these skills independently predict children's attention/behaviour skills.MethodData are presented from 243 children at four time points. Children were selected for being at risk of reading difficulties either because of a family history of dyslexia (FR; N = 90) or because of concerns regarding their language development (LI; N = 79) or as typically developing controls (TD; N = 74). The children completed tasks to assess their executive function and language skills at ages 4, 5 and 6 years. At 6 (T4) and 7 years (T5) parents and teachers rated the children's attention/behaviour skills.ResultsThere was a strong concurrent relationship between language and EF at each assessment. Longitudinal analyses indicated a considerable degree of stability in children's language and EF skills: the influence of language on later EF skills (and vice versa) was weak and not significant in the current sample. Children's EF, but not language, skills at T3 predicted attention/behaviour ratings at T4/T5.ConclusionsThere is a strong concurrent association between language and EF skills during the preschool and early school years, when children with language impairment show persistent EF deficits. Latent variables measuring language and EF show high longitudinal stability with little evidence of significant or strong reciprocal influences between these constructs. EF, but not language, skills predict later ratings of children's attention and behaviour.
The influence of quarantine on reproductive cycling in wild‐caught Baboons (Papio anubis)
Authors: Liechty Emma R. , Wang Diane Y. , Chen Emily , Chai Daniel , Bell Jason D. , Bergin Ingrid L. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractStress impacts nonhuman primate menstrual cycle length but the impact of quarantine is unknown. A retrospective analysis was performed on cycle data from 31 wild‐caught baboons during and following quarantine. Cycling initiated in 94 days (19–181) and length normalized within 4–6 cycles. Quarantine significantly impacts menstrual cycle length.
Microsurgeons do better – tactile training might prevent the age‐dependent decline of the sensibility of the hand
Authors: Schmauss Daniel , Megerle Kai , Weinzierl Andrea , Agua Kariem , Cerny Michael , Schmauss Verena , Lohmeyer Joern A. , Machens Hans‐Guenther , Erne Holger 
Published: August 2015

AbstractRecent data demonstrate that the normal sensibility of the hand seems to be age‐dependent with the best values in the third decade and a consecutive deterioration afterwards. However, it is not clear if long‐term tactile training might prevent this age‐dependent decline. We evaluated sensibility of the hand in 125 surgeons aged between 26 and 75 years who perform microsurgical operations, thereby undergoing regular tactile training. We examined sensibility of the radial digital nerve of the index finger (N3) and the ulnar digital nerve of the small finger (N10) using static and moving two‐point discrimination (2PD) tests and compared the results to 154 age‐matched individuals without specific long‐term tactile training. We found significantly lower static and moving 2PD values for the sixth, seventh, and eighth decade of life in the microsurgery group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). This study demonstrates that long‐term tactile training might prevent the known age‐dependent decline of the sensibility of the hand.
Mutational mechanisms in MFN2‐related neuropathy: compound heterozygosity for recessive and semidominant mutations
Authors: Piscosquito Giuseppe , Saveri Paola , Magri Stefania , Ciano Claudia , Di Bella Daniela , Milani Micaela , Taroni Franco , Pareyson Davide 
Published: August 2015

AbstractMitofusin‐2 (MFN2) mutations are the most common cause of autosomal dominant axonal Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease (CMT, type 2A), sometimes complicated by additional features such as optic atrophy (CMT6) and upper motor neuron involvement (CMT5). Several pathogenic mutations are reported, mainly acting in a dominant fashion, although few sequence variants behaved as recessive or semidominant in rare homozygous or compound heterozygous patients. We describe a 49‐year‐old woman with CMT5 associated with compound heterozygosity for two MFN2 variants, one already reported missense mutation (c.748C>T, p.R250W) and a novel nonsense sequence change (c.1426C>T, p.R476*). Her mother, carrying the p.R250W variant, had very late‐onset minimal axonal neuropathy, whilst the father harboring the nonsense sequence change had neither clinical nor electrophysiological neuropathy. The missense mutation is likely pathogenic according to in silico analyses and a previous report, while the nonsense variant is predicted to behave as a null allele. The p.R250W variant behaves as semidominant by causing only a mild, almost subclinical, neuropathy when heterozygous; the nonsense mutation in the father was phenotypically silent, suggesting that haploinsufficiency for MFN2 is not disease causative, but was deleterious in the daughter who had only one active mutated MFN2 allele.
Epidermal innervation morphometry by immunofluorescence and bright‐field microscopy
Authors: Nolano Maria , Biasiotta Antonella , Lombardi Raffaella , Provitera Vincenzo , Stancanelli Annamaria , Caporaso Giuseppe , Santoro Lucio , Merkies Ingemar S.J. , Truini Andrea , Porretta‐Serapiglia Carla , Cazzato Daniele , Dacci Patrizia , Vitale Dino F. , Lauria Giuseppe 
Published: August 2015

AbstractWe investigated the agreement between simple indirect immunofluorescence (IF) and bright‐field immunohistochemistry (BFI) on free‐floating sections for intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) quantification. Fifty‐five healthy subjects and 63 patients with probable small fiber neuropathy (SFN) underwent two adjacent skin biopsies at the distal leg processed by IF and BFI technique. Agreement between IENFD pairs obtained by each method was assessed by Bland–Altman testing. The area under the curve of the receiving operating characteristics (ROC) curves was used to compare the discrimination ability. The diagnostic judgment was based on sex and age‐adjusted normative values. IF and BFI showed good correlation (r = 0.81), with a ratio of about 2:1 and a mean difference of 5.5 ± 3.0 IENF per millimeter between paired measures, as demonstrated by linear regression and Bland–Altman test analyses. The square root transformation confirmed a Poisson distribution of the data and a fixed bias between IF and BFI measurements. The ROC curves analysis demonstrated a striking overlap between IF and BFI (0.83 and 0.82; p = 0.72). The diagnosis of SFN disagreed in only 6.7% of cases when the judgment was based on a difference of >1 IENF from 5% cut‐off value. IF and BFI showed comparable diagnostic efficiency when referred to appropriate normative reference values.
Does Music Influence the Multisensory Tasting Experience?
Authors: Reinoso Carvalho Felipe , Van Ee Raymond , Rychtarikova Monika , Touhafi Abdellah , Steenhaut Kris , Persoone Dominique , Spence Charles , Leman Marc 
Published: August 2015

AbstractAll of the senses can potentially contribute to the perception and experience of food and drink. Sensory influences come both from the food or drink itself, and from the environment in which that food or drink is tasted and consumed. In this study, participants initially had to pair each of three soundtracks with one of three chocolates (varying on the bitter‐sweet dimension). In a second part of the study, the impact of the various music samples on these participants’ ratings of the taste of various chocolates was assessed. The results demonstrate that what people hear exerts a significant influence over their rating of the taste of the chocolate. Interestingly, when the results were analysed based on the participants’ individual music‐chocolate matches (rather than the average response of the whole group), more robust crossmodal effects were revealed. These results therefore provide support for the claim that ambient sound influences taste judgments, and potentially provide useful insights concerning the future design of multisensory tasting experiences.Practical ApplicationsThe approach outlined here follows the increasing demand from the field of gastronomy for greater influence over the general multisensory atmosphere surrounding eating/drinking experiences. One of the novel contributions of the present research is to show how, by considering a participant's individual response, further insight for user‐studies in gastrophysics may be provided. Increasing the personalization of such experiments in the years to come may help researchers to design individualized “sonic seasoning” experiences that are even more effective. In the future, then, the approach outlined here may help researchers and experience designers to obtain more profound effects of the auditory or multisensory atmosphere.
Effect of a Limited Iodine Diet on Iodine Uptake by Thyroid Glands in Hyperthyroid Cats
Authors: Scott‐Moncrieff J.C. , Heng H.G. , Weng H.Y. , Dimeo D. , Jones M.D. 
Published: August 2015

BackgroundThe effect of feeding a limited iodine diet on radioactive iodine uptake in the thyroid glands of hyperthyroid cats is unknown.ObjectivesTo determine how feeding limited dietary iodine affects radioactive iodine uptake by the thyroid glands of hyperthyroid cats.AnimalsEight geriatric cats with spontaneous hyperthyroidism.MethodsProspective study of eight client owned hyperthyroid cats fed a commercially available iodine limited diet for 6 months. Clinical signs were evaluated and TT4 and fT4 were measured during consumption of the diet. Uptake of 123I was determined before and 8–16 weeks after exclusive consumption of the diet.ResultsClinical signs of hyperthyroidism resolved in all cats, but there was no significant increase in body weight. TT4 and fT4 decreased into the reference range by 8–16 weeks in all cats. Mean TT4 before consumption of the diet was 9.7 μg/dL (SD 5.2) and after consumption of the diet was 3.1 μg/dL (SD 0.9). Scintigraphy revealed unilateral uptake of isotope in 5 cats and bilateral uptake in 3 cats. Mean percentage uptake of 123I by the thyroid gland at 8 hours after isotope administration was 16.2 (SD 11.8) before diet consumption and 34.6 (SD 11.7) 8–16 weeks after exclusive consumption of the diet. The percentage increase was variable between cats (38–639%).Conclusions and clinical importanceLimited iodine diets increase iodine uptake in the autonomous thyroid glands of hyperthyroid cats. Further studies are necessary to determine if consumption of a limited iodine diet changes sensitivity of the thyroid gland to 131I treatment.
Molecular biomarkers for chronological age in animal ecology
Authors: Jarman Simon N. , Polanowski Andrea M. , Faux Cassandra E. , Robbins Jooke , De Paoli‐Iseppi Ricardo , Bravington Mark , Deagle Bruce E. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractThe chronological age of an individual animal predicts many of its biological characteristics, and these in turn influence population‐level ecological processes. Animal age information can therefore be valuable in ecological research, but many species have no external features that allow age to be reliably determined. Molecular age biomarkers provide a potential solution to this problem. Research in this area of molecular ecology has so far focused on a limited range of age biomarkers. The most commonly tested molecular age biomarker is change in average telomere length, which predicts age well in a small number of species and tissues, but performs poorly in many other situations. Epigenetic regulation of gene expression has recently been shown to cause age‐related modifications to DNA and to cause changes in abundance of several RNA types throughout animal lifespans. Age biomarkers based on these epigenetic changes, and other new DNA‐based assays, have already been applied to model organisms, humans and a limited number of wild animals. There is clear potential to apply these marker types more widely in ecological studies. For many species, these new approaches will produce age estimates where this was previously impractical. They will also enable age information to be gathered in cross‐sectional studies and expand the range of demographic characteristics that can be quantified with molecular methods. We describe the range of molecular age biomarkers that have been investigated to date and suggest approaches for developing the newer marker types as age assays in nonmodel animal species.
Methylene blue treatment for resistant shock following renal transplantation
Authors: Hershman Eli , Hadash Amir , Attias Ori , Ben‐Ari Josef 
Published: August 2015

SummaryWe report a case of a 19‐year‐old female with a history of hyperoxaluria type 1 and renal failure. The patient presented for a second renal transplantation 17 years after her first combined liver and kidney transplantation. Postoperative shock was highly resistant to fluids and required massive pharmacologic hemodynamic support. Vasoplegic shock was the presumed diagnosis, and methylene blue was utilized as a rescue therapy, with a rapid hemodynamic response and no apparent side effects.
A retrospective comparison of ropivacaine and 2‐chloroprocaine continuous thoracic epidural analgesia for management of postthoracotomy pain in infants
Authors: Muhly Wallis T. , Gurnaney Harshad G. , Kraemer Francis W. , Ganesh Arjunan , Maxwell Lynne G. 
Published: August 2015

SummaryIntroductionContinuous thoracic epidural analgesia is useful in the management of infants following thoracotomy. Concerns about drug accumulation and toxicity limit the amount of amide local anesthetics that can be delivered. Continuous epidural infusions of the ester local anesthetic chloroprocaine result in little drug accumulation allowing for higher infusion rates. We retrospectively compared patients managed with 1.5% 2‐ chloroprocaine or 0.1% ropivacaine epidural infusions to determine if the increased infusion rate resulted in similar or improved analgesia.MethodsThis retrospective cohort comparison consisted of full term infants 6 months or younger who underwent thoracotomy for congenital lung lesion resection. Patients were included if they were managed with either a 1.5% 2‐chloroprocaine (Group C) (n = 26) or 0.1% ropivacaine (Group R) (n = 28) infusion administered through a caudally placed thoracic epidural catheter. The primary outcome was morphine administration at 0–24 h.ResultsPatients were similar in age, weight, length of stay, epidural location and duration. There was weak evidence for a difference in morphine use in the first 24 h in Group C compared to Group R (P = 0.08) but no difference 24–48 h. Group C was more commonly managed with ketorolac at 0–24 h (P = 0.03) and 24–48 h (P =< 0.01).DiscussionThe use of 2‐chloroprocaine for continuous epidural infusion in infants following thoracotomy was not inferior to ropivacaine and there was weak evidence for a reduction in opioid consumption in the first 24 h postoperatively. However, the 2‐chloroprocaine group was more likely to receive ketorolac.
The Varieties of (Relative) Modality
Authors: Leech Jessica 
Published: August 2015

AbstractIn ‘The Varieties of Necessity’ Fine presents purported counterexamples to the view that a proposition is a naturally necessary truth if and only if it is logically necessary relative to or conditional upon the basic truths about the status and distribution of natural kinds, properties and relations. The aim of this article is to defend the view that natural necessity is relative necessity, and the general idea that we can define other kinds of necessity as relative, against Fine's criticisms.
Early and late adjustments of the photosynthetic traits and stomatal density in Quercus ilex L. grown in an ozone‐enriched environment
Authors: Fusaro L. , Gerosa G. , Salvatori E. , Marzuoli R. , Monga R. , Kuzminsky E. , Angelaccio C. , Quarato D. , Fares S. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractQuercus ilex L. seedlings were exposed in open‐top chambers for one growing season to three levels of ozone (O3): charcoal filtered air, non‐filtered air supplemented with +30% or +74% ambient air O3. Key functional parameters related to photosynthetic performance and stomatal density were measured to evaluate the response mechanisms of Q. ilex to chronic O3 exposure, clarifying how ecophysiological traits are modulated during the season in an ozone‐enriched environment. Dark respiration showed an early response to O3 exposure, increasing approximately 45% relative to charcoal‐filtered air in both O3 enriched treatments. However, at the end of the growing season, maximum rate of assimilation (Amax) and stomatal conductance (gs) showed a decline (−13% and −36%, for Amax and gs, respectively) only in plants under higher O3 levels. Photosystem I functionality supported the capacity of Q. ilex to cope with oxidative stress by adjusting the energy flow partitioning inside the photosystems. The response to O3 was also characterised by increased stomatal density in both O3 enriched treatments relative to controls. Our results suggest that in order to improve the reliability of metrics for O3 risk assessment, the seasonal changes in the response of gs and photosynthetic machinery to O3 stress should be considered.
Clinical characteristics of catamenial and non‐catamenial thoracic endometriosis‐related pneumothorax
Authors: Fukuoka Mizuki , Kurihara Masatoshi , Haga Takahiro , Ebana Hiroki , Kataoka Hideyuki , Mizobuchi Teruaki , Tatsumi Koichiro 
Published: August 2015

AbstractBackground and objectiveA major pathogenic factor for catamenial pneumothorax is thoracic endometriosis. However, thoracic endometriosis‐related pneumothorax (TERP) can develop as either catamenial or non‐catamenial pneumothorax (CP). Therefore, the aim of this study was to elucidate the clinical differences between catamenial and non‐catamenial TERP.MethodsThe clinical and pathological data in female patients who underwent video‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery at the Pneumothorax Research Center during an 8‐year period were retrospectively reviewed. This study included 150 female patients with surgico‐pathologically confirmed TERP. The subjects were divided into two groups, those having all of the pneumothorax episodes in the catamenial period (CP group) and those who did not (non‐CP group). We compared the clinical characteristics and surgico‐pathological findings between these two groups.ResultsOf the 150 TERP patients, 55 (36.7%) were classified in the CP group, and 95 (63.3%) in the non‐CP group. In regard to the locations of endometriosis, all TERP patients had diaphragmatic endometriosis, while pleural implantation was recognized in 34 of the 55 (61.8%) patients in the CP group and 42 of the 95 (44.2%) patients in the non‐CP group (P < 0.05).ConclusionsA significant difference in the proportion of patients with pleural endometriosis was observed between catamenial and non‐catamenial TERP. The ectopic sites of the endometriosis may be responsible for the timing of the pneumothorax episodes.
This is what COPD looks like
Authors: Sheikh Khadija , Coxson Harvey O , Parraga Grace 
Published: August 2015

AbstractDespite decades of research, and the growing healthcare and societal burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), therapeutic COPD breakthroughs have not occurred. Sub‐optimal COPD patient phenotyping, an incomplete understanding of COPD pathogenesis and a scarcity of sensitive tools that provide patient‐relevant intermediate endpoints likely all play a role in the lack of new, efficacious COPD interventions. In other words, COPD patients are still diagnosed based on the presence of persistent airflow limitation measured using spirometry. Spirometry measurements reflect the global sum of all the different possible COPD pathologies and perhaps because of this, we lose sight of the different contributions of airway and parenchymal abnormalities. With recent advances in thoracic X‐ray computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), lung structure and function abnormalities may be regionally identified and measured. These imaging endpoints may serve as biomarkers of COPD that can be used to better phenotype patients. Therefore, here we review novel CT and MRI measurements that help reveal COPD phenotypes and what COPD really ‘looks’ like, beyond spirometric indices. We discuss MR and CT imaging approaches for generating reproducible and sensitive measurements of COPD phenotypes related to pulmonary ventilation and perfusion as well as airway and parenchyma anatomical and morphological features. These measurements may provide a way to advance the development and testing of new COPD interventions and therapies.