bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Embracing the population health framework in nursing research
Authors: MacDonald Shannon E , Newburn‐Cook Christine V , Allen Marion , Reutter Linda 
Published: December 2012

MACDONALD SE, NEWBURN‐COOK CV, ALLEN M and REUTTER L.Nursing Inquiry2013;20: 30–41  Embracing the population health framework in nursing researchIndividuals’ health outcomes are influenced not only by their knowledge and behavior, but also by complex social, political and economic forces. Attention to these multi‐level factors is necessary to accurately and comprehensively understand and intervene to improve human health. The population health framework is a valuable conceptual framework to guide nurse researchers in identifying and targeting the broad range of determinants of health. However, attention to the intermediate processes linking multi‐level factors and use of appropriate multi‐level theory and research methodology is critical to utilizing the framework effectively. Nurse researchers are well equipped to undertake such investigations but need to consider a number of political, societal, professional and organizational barriers to do so. By fully embracing the population health framework, nurse researchers have the opportunity to explore the multi‐level influences on health and to develop, implement and evaluate interventions that target immediate needs, more distal factors and the intermediate processes that connect them.
Cortical visual areas process intestinal information during slow‐wave sleep
Authors: Pigarev I. N. , Bagaev V. A. , Levichkina E. V. , Fedorov G. O. , Busigina I. I. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractBackground Previously we have shown that, during sleep, electrical and magnetic stimulation of areas of the stomach and small intestine evoked neuronal and EEG responses in various cortical areas. In this study we wanted to correlate natural myoelectrical activity of the duodenum with cortical neuronal activity, and to investigate whether there is a causal link between them during periods of slow‐wave sleep.Methods We have recorded the myoelectrical activity from the wall of the duodenum and activity of single neurons from three cortical visual areas in naturally sleeping cats and investigated causal interrelationship between these structures during slow‐wave sleep.Key Results About 30% of the cortical neurons studied changed their firing rate dependent on the phases of the peristaltic cycle and demonstrated selectivity to particular pattern of duodenal myoelectrical activity during slow‐wave sleep. This interrelationship was never seen when awake.Conclusions & Inferences This observation supports the hypothesis that, during sleep, the cerebral cortex switches from processing of exteroceptive and proprioceptive information to processing of interoceptive information.
Effect of DA‐9701, a novel prokinetic agent, on stress‐induced delayed gastric emptying and hormonal changes in rats
Authors: Jung Y.‐S. , Kim M.‐Y. , Lee H. S. , Park S. L. , Lee K. J. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractBackground  DA‐9701 is a novel prokinetic agent formulated with Pharbitis Semen and Corydalis Tuber. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of DA‐9701 on stress‐induced delay in gastric emptying and changes in plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone and ghrelin levels in rats.Methods  Changes in gastric emptying in response to different durations of stress were evaluated. Gastric emptying was compared between the following groups: (i) nonstressed vehicle‐ or DA‐9701‐treated group, (ii) nonstressed vehicle‐ or mosapride‐treated group, (iii) 2‐h stressed vehicle‐ or DA‐9701‐treated group, and (iv) 2‐h stressed vehicle‐ or mosapride‐treated group. Water immersion restraint stress was used as the stressor. DA‐9701 or mosapride at 3 mg kg−1 was administered to the rats after subjecting them to 2‐h stress, and then gastric emptying was measured using the phenol red method.Key Results  Gastric emptying was significantly delayed in the 2‐h stressed group compared with the nonstressed group. Mosapride administration resulted in significant recovery from the stress‐induced delay in gastric emptying. Gastric emptying in the rats that underwent 2‐h stress followed by DA‐9701 administration was not significantly different from that in the nonstressed group. The plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone and active ghrelin levels in the 2‐h stressed group were significantly higher than those in the nonstressed group. These increases were significantly inhibited by DA‐9701.Conclusions & Inferences  The administration of DA‐9701 improved delayed gastric emptying and inhibited the hormonal changes induced by stress, suggesting that DA‐9701 can be used as a gastroprokinetic agent for the treatment of delayed gastric emptying, particularly that associated with stress.
Internal aeration of paddy field rice (Oryza sativa) during complete submergence – importance of light and floodwater O2
Authors: Winkel Anders , Colmer Timothy D. , Ismail Abdelbagi M. , Pedersen Ole 
Published: December 2012

Summary

Flash floods can submerge paddy field rice (Oryza sativa), with adverse effects on internal aeration, sugar status and survival. Here, we investigated the in situ aeration of roots of rice during complete submergence, and elucidated how underwater photosynthesis and floodwater pO2 influence root aeration in anoxic soil.

In the field, root pO2 was measured using microelectrodes during 2 d of complete submergence. Leaf gas films that formed on the superhydrophobic leaves were left intact, or experimentally removed, to elucidate their effect on internal aeration.

In darkness, root pO2 declined to very low concentrations (0.24 kPa) and was strongly correlated with floodwater pO2. In light, root pO2 was high (14 kPa) and primarily a function of the incident light determining the rates of underwater net photosynthesis. Plants with intact leaf gas films maintained higher underwater net photosynthesis relative to plants without gas films when the submerged shoots were in light.

During complete submergence, internal aeration of rice in the field relies on underwater photosynthesis during the day and entry of O2 from the floodwater during the night. Leaf gas films enhance photosynthesis during submergence leading to improved O2 production and sugar status, and therefore contribute to the submergence tolerance of rice.
Towards an integrative approach to understanding the role of chemerin in human health and disease
Authors: Rourke J. L. , Dranse H. J. , Sinal C. J. 
Published: December 2012

SummaryChemerin is an adipocyte‐secreted protein with autocrine/paracrine roles on adipose development and function as well as endocrine roles in metabolism and immunity. Following prochemerin secretion, protease‐mediated generation of chemerin isoforms with a range of biological activities is a key regulatory mechanism controlling local, context‐specific chemerin bioactivity. Together, experimental and clinical data indicate that localized and/or circulating chemerin expression and activation are elevated in numerous metabolic and inflammatory diseases including psoriasis, obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. These elevations are positively correlated with deleterious changes in glucose, lipid, and cytokine homeostasis, and may serve as a link between obesity, inflammation and other metabolic disorders. This review highlights the current state of knowledge regarding chemerin expression, processing, biological function and relevance to human disease, particularly with respect to adipose tissue development, inflammation, glucose homeostasis and cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, it discusses study variability, deficiencies in current measurement, and questions concerning chemerin function in disease, with a special emphasis on techniques and tools used to properly assess chemerin biology. An integration of basic and clinical research is key to understanding how chemerin influences disease pathobiology, and whether modulation of chemerin levels and/or activity may serve as a potential method to prevent and treat metabolic diseases.
Maternal Prepregnancy Obesity is an Independent Risk Factor for Frequent Wheezing in Infants by Age 14 Months
Authors: Guerra Stefano , Sartini Claudio , Mendez Michelle , Morales Eva , Guxens Mònica , Basterrechea Mikel , Arranz Leonor , Sunyer Jordi 
Published: December 2012

AbstractBackground:  Maternal prepregnancy obesity has been linked to the offspring's risk for subsequent asthma. We determined whether maternal obesity is associated with increased risk of wheezing phenotypes early in life.Methods:  We used data on 1107 mother–child pairs from two birth cohorts from the INMA–INfancia y Medio Ambiente project. Maternal height was measured and prepregnancy weight self‐reported at enrolment (on average at 13.7 ± 2 weeks of gestation). Maternal prepregnancy body mass index was categorised as underweight, normal, overweight and obese according to WHO recommendations. Information on child's wheezing was obtained through questionnaires up to the age of 14 (±1) months. Wheezing was classified as infrequent (<4 reported wheezing episodes) or frequent (≥4 episodes). Weight and length of infants were measured by trained study staff at 14.6 (±1) months of age and weight‐for‐length z‐scores computed.Results:  Although maternal obesity did not increase the risk of the child to have any or infrequent wheezing, children of obese mothers were more likely to have frequent wheezing than children of normal‐weight mothers (11.8% vs. 3.8%; P = 0.002). In fully adjusted multinomial logistic regression models, including infants' weight‐for‐length z‐scores and other covariates, maternal prepregnancy obesity was associated with increased risk of frequent [adjusted relative risk (RR) 4.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.55, 11.3] but not infrequent (RR 1.05 [95% CI 0.55, 2.01]) wheezing in their children.Conclusions:  Maternal prepregnancy obesity is independently associated with an increased risk of frequent wheezing in the infant by the age of 14 months. These findings add evidence on the potential effects of in utero exposures on asthma‐related phenotypes.
HLA antigen, allele and haplotype frequencies and their use in virtual panel reactive antigen calculations in the Finnish population
Authors: Haimila K. , Peräsaari J. , Linjama T. , Koskela S. , Saarinenl T. , Lauronen J. , Auvinen M.‐K. , Jaatinen T. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractThe human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antigen, allele and haplotype frequencies of the Finnish population are quite unique because of a rather restricted and homogeneous gene pool. This has a strong influence on finding suitable donors for transplant patients; hence knowledge about the HLA frequencies of the patient population is essential. Here we report the HLA antigen frequencies for a large population sample and show high resolution HLA allele frequencies for 11 loci, including the rarely typed DPA1 and DQA1 loci. Furthermore, the most common Finnish high resolution haplotypes are presented for five HLA loci. The study shows that there are fewer HLA haplotypes in the Finnish population compared with mixed populations, and the common Finnish HLA haplotypes are more frequent. Using HLA antibody identification and panel reactive antibody calculations we show that a virtual population‐specific panel, combined with single antigen testing, gives a more accurate and reliable estimate of the reactivity of the recipient serum against potential solid organ donors within the Finnish population. The results can be directly used to improve donor search for patients waiting for stem cell transplantation and to allocate highly immunised patients accurately to acceptable mismatch programs.
Molecular phylogeny and systematics of Dipodoidea: a test of morphology‐based hypotheses
Authors: Lebedev Vladimir S. , Bannikova Anna A. , Pagès Marie , Pisano Julie , Michaux Johan R. , Shenbrot Georgy I. 
Published: December 2012

Lebedev, V.S., Bannikova, A.A., Pagès, M., Pisano, J., Michaux, J.R. & Shenbrot, G.I. (2012). Molecular phylogeny and systematics of Dipodoidea: a test of morphology‐based hypotheses. —Zoologica Scripta, 42, 231–249.The superfamily Dipodoidea (Rodentia, Myomorpha) in its current interpretation contains a single family subdivided into six subfamilies. Four of them include morphologically specialized bipedal arid‐dwelling jerboas (Dipodinae – three‐toed jerboas, Allactaginae – five‐toed jerboas, Cardiocraniinae – pygmy jerboas and Euchoreutinae – long‐eared jerboas), the other two are represented by more generalized quadrupedal taxa (Zapodinae – jumping mice and Sminthinae – birch mice). Despite considerable effort from morphologists, the taxonomy as well as the phylogeny of the Dipodoidea remains controversial. Strikingly, molecular approach has never been envisaged to investigate these questions. In this study, the phylogenetic relationships among the main dipodoid lineages were reconstructed for the first time using DNA sequence data from four nuclear genes (IRBP, GHR, BRCA1, RAG1). No evidence of conflict among genes was revealed. The same robustly supported tree topology was inferred from the concatenated alignment whatever the phylogenetic methods used (maximum parsimony, maximum‐likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic methods). Sminthinae branches basally within the dipodoids followed by Zapodinae. Monophyletic Cardiocraniinae is sister to all other jerboas. Within the latter, the monophyly of both Dipodinae and Allactaginae is highly supported. The relationships between Dipodinae, Allactaginae and Euchoreutinae should be regarded as unresolved trichotomy. Morphological hypotheses were confronted to findings based on the presented molecular data. As a result, previously proposed sister group relationships between Euchoreutes and Sicista, Paradipus and Cardiocraniinae as well as the monophyly of Cardiocaniinae + Dipodinae were rejected. However, the latter association is consistently supported by most morphological analyses. The basis of the obvious conflict between genes and morphology remains unclear. Suggested modifications to the taxonomy of Dipodoidea imply recognition of three families: Sminthidae, Zapodidae and Dipodidae, the latter including Cardiocraniinae, Euchoreutinae, Allactaginae and Dipodinae as subfamilies.
Statistical approaches for morphological continuous characters: a conceptual model applied to Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata)
Authors: Marie‐Stephane Tixier 
Published: December 2012

Marie‐Stephane, T. (2012). Statistical approaches for morphological continuous characters: a conceptual model applied to Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata). —Zoologica Scripta, 42, 327–334.Species discrimination is certainly the most current and essential taxonomic task. Despite molecular development, species continue to be delimited using morphological characters. This study provides statistical approaches to assess decision rules, using continuous morphological characters, to determine whether specimens examined belong or not to a same species. As species discrimination is usually based on no overlapping between intraspecific distributions, a general statistical approach has been developed to assess, for a character x, the relation between intraspecific overlapping and (i) the differences between the means of specimen lots corresponding to two species and (ii) the differences between the values borne by two specimens belonging to two species. Then, this conceptual approach was applied to the predatory mite family Phytoseiidae, highlighting that the minimal difference between means of two specimen lots belonging to two species should be of 10.58 μm (for setae <65 μm) and 33.99 μm (for setae >65 μm). When no specimen sets are available but only two specimens compared, the model shows that a difference of 13.24 μm (for setae <65 μm) and 31.74 μm (for setae >65 μm) would be sufficient to conclude that these specimens belong to two species. The presently proposed decision rules are assumed to improve species discrimination and to limit synonymies. Further developments will consist in applying this approach to databases containing species features in order to automatically extract the putative synonyms. Furthermore, such decision rules would also be useful to determine whether a species newly described is really new for science.
Interleaved acquisition for cross scatter avoidance in dual cone‐beam CT
Authors: Giles William , Bowsher James , Li Hao , Yin Fang‐Fang 
Published: December 2012

Purpose:Cone‐beam x‐ray imaging with flat panel detectors is used for target localization in image guided radiation therapy. This imaging includes cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) and planar imaging. Use of two orthogonal x‐ray systems could reduce imaging time for CBCT, provide simultaneous orthogonal views in planar imaging, facilitate dual‐energy methods, and be useful in alleviating cone‐beam artifacts by providing two axially offset focal‐spot trajectories. However, the potential advantages of a second cone‐beam system come at the cost of cross scatter, i.e., scatter of photons originating from one tube into the noncorresponding detector. Herein, cross scatter is characterized for dual cone‐beam imaging, and a method for avoiding cross scatter is proposed and evaluated.Methods:A prototype dual‐source CBCT system has been developed that models the geometry of a gantry‐mounted kV imaging device used in radiation therapy. Cross scatter was characterized from 70 to 145 kVp in projections and reconstructed images using this system and three cylindrical phantoms (15, 20, and 30 cm) with a common Catphan core. A novel strategy for avoiding cross scatter in dual CBCT was developed that utilized interleaved data acquisition on each imaging chain. Interleaving, while maintaining similar angular sampling, can be achieved by either doubling the data acquisition rate or, as presented herein, halving the rotation speed.Results:The ratio of cross scatter to the total detected signal was found to be as high as 0.59 in a 30 cm diameter phantom. The measured scatter‐to‐primary ratio in some cases exceeded 4. In the 30 cm phantom, reconstructed contrast was reduced across all ROIs by an average of 48.7% when cross scatter was present. These cross‐scatter degradations were almost entirely avoided by the method of interleaved exposures.Conclusions:Cross scatter is substantial in dual cone‐beam imaging, but its effects can be largely removed by interleaved acquisition, which can be achieved at the same angular sampling rate either by doubling the data acquisition rate or halving the rotation speed.
Host Responses to Persistent Mycobacterium avium Subspecies
paratuberculosis
Infection in Surgically Isolated Bovine Ileal Segments
Authors: Charavaryamath Chandrashekhar , Gonzalez-Cano Patricia , Fries Patrick , Gomis Susantha , Doig Kimberley , Scruten Erin , Potter Andrew , Napper Scott , Griebel Philip J. 
Published: December 2012

ABSTRACT

A lack of appropriate disease models has limited our understanding of the pathogenesis of persistent enteric infections with
Mycobacterium avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
. A model was developed for the controlled delivery of a defined dose of
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
to surgically isolated ileal segments in newborn calves. The stable intestinal segments enabled the characterization of host responses to persistent
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
infections after a 9-month period, including an analysis of local mucosal immune responses relative to an adjacent uninfected intestinal compartment.
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
remained localized at the initial site of intestinal infection and was not detected by PCR in the mesenteric lymph node.
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
-specific T cell proliferative responses included both CD4 and γδ T cell receptor (γδTcR) T cell responses in the draining mesenteric lymph node. The levels of CD8
+
and γδTcR
+
T cells increased significantly (
P
< 0.05) in the lamina propria, and
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
-specific tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and gamma interferon secretion by lamina propria leukocytes was also significantly (
P
< 0.05) increased. There was a significant (
P
< 0.05) accumulation of macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) in the lamina propria, but the expression of mucosal toll-like receptors 1 through 10 was not significantly changed by
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
infection. In conclusion, surgically isolated ileal segments provided a model system for the establishment of a persistent and localized enteric
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
infection in cattle and facilitated the analysis of
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
-specific changes in mucosal leukocyte phenotype and function. The accumulation of DC subpopulations in the lamina propria suggests that further investigation of mucosal DCs may provide insight into host responses to
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
infection and improve vaccine strategies to prevent
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
infection.
Impaired Toll-Like Receptor 3-Mediated Immune Responses from Macrophages of Patients Chronically Infected with Hepatitis C Virus
Authors: Qian Feng , Bolen Christopher R. , Jing Chunxia , Wang Xiaomei , Zheng Wei , Zhao Hongyu , Fikrig Erol , Bruce R. Douglas , Kleinstein Steven H. , Montgomery Ruth R. 
Published: December 2012

ABSTRACTHepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common chronic blood-borne infection in the United States, with the majority of patients becoming chronically infected and a subset (20%) progressing to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Individual variations in immune responses may help define successful resistance to infection with HCV. We have compared the immune response in primary macrophages from patients who have spontaneously cleared HCV (viral load negative [VL−],n= 37) to that of primary macrophages from HCV genotype 1 chronically infected (VL+) subjects (n= 32) and found that macrophages from VL− subjects have an elevated baseline expression of Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3). Macrophages from HCV patients were stimulatedex vivothrough the TLR3 pathway and assessed using gene expression arrays and pathway analysis. We found elevated TLR3 response genes and pathway activity from VL− subjects. Furthermore, macrophages from VL− subjects showed higher production of beta interferon (IFN-β) and related IFN response genes by quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) and increased phosphorylation of STAT-1 by immunoblotting. Analysis of polymorphisms in TLR3 revealed a significant association of intronic TLR3 polymorphism (rs13126816) with the clearance of HCV and the expression of TLR3. Of note, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the same donors showed opposite changes in gene expression, suggesting ongoing inflammatory responses in PBMCs from VL+ HCV patients. Our results suggest that an elevated innate immune response enhances HCV clearance mechanisms and may offer a potential therapeutic approach to increase viral clearance.
Legionella micdadei Brain Abscess
Authors: Charles Marthe , Johnson Edward , Macyk-Davey Andrea , Henry Monica , Nilsson Jan-Erik , Miedzinski Lil , Zahariadis George 
Published: December 2012

ABSTRACT

We describe an immunocompromised patient who developed a large frontal brain abscess caused by
Legionella micdadei
. This is, to our knowledge, a rare case of culture-proven
Legionella
central nervous system infection.