bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The perception of hospital safety culture and selected outcomes among nurses: An exploratory study
Authors: Saleh Ali M. , Darawad Muhammad W. , Al‐Hussami Mahmoud 
Published: June 2015

AbstractThe objectives of this study were to examine nurses' perceptions of the hospital safety culture in Jordan and to identify the relationships between aspects of hospital safety culture and selected safety outcomes. Data from 242 registered nurses in five Jordanian hospitals were analyzed. Aspects of hospital safety culture and outcomes were measured using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. Among various aspects of hospital safety culture, teamwork within units had the highest average percentage of positive responses (49.8%). Additionally, participants reported deficits in other aspects of safety culture, particularly in staffing and nonpunitive response to errors, with average percentages of positive responses of 30.4% and 30.7%, respectively. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that 9 of 10 subscales of hospital safety culture were significantly correlated to one or more of the hospital safety outcomes. The findings of this study can help policymakers and healthcare administrators identify the weaknesses and strengths of hospital safety issues in order to propose effective strategies to improve patient safety and quality of care.
Stimulation of synthesis and release of brain‐derived neurotropic factor from intestinal smooth muscle cells by substance P and pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating peptide
Authors: Al‐Qudah M. , Alkahtani R. , Akbarali H. I. , Murthy K. S. , Grider J. R. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractBackgroundBrain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin present in the intestine where it participates in survival and growth of enteric neurons, augmentation of enteric circuits, and stimulation of intestinal peristalsis and propulsion. Previous studies largely focused on the role of neural and mucosal BDNF. The expression and release of BDNF from intestinal smooth muscle and the interaction with enteric neuropeptides has not been studied in gut.MethodsThe expression and secretion of BDNF from smooth muscle cultured from the rabbit intestinal longitudinal muscle layer in response to substance P (SP) and pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating peptide (PACAP) was measured by western blot and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. BDNF mRNA was measured by reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction.Key ResultsThe expression of BNDF protein and mRNA was greater in smooth muscle cells (SMCs) from the longitudinal muscle than from circular muscle layer. PACAP and SP increased the expression of BDNF protein and mRNA in cultured longitudinal SMCs. PACAP and SP also stimulated the secretion of BDNF from cultured longitudinal SMCs. Chelation of intracellular calcium with BAPTA (1,2‐bis‐(o‐aminophenoxy)ethane‐N,N,N′,N′‐tetraacetic acid) prevented SP‐induced increase in BDNF mRNA and protein expression and SP‐induced secretion of BDNF.Conclusions & InferencesNeuropeptides known to be present in enteric neurons innervating the longitudinal layer increase the expression of BDNF mRNA and protein in SMCs and stimulate the release of BDNF. Considering the ability of BDNF to enhance smooth muscle contraction, this autocrine loop may partially explain the characteristic hypercontractility of longitudinal muscle in inflammatory bowel disease.
High‐resolution impedance manometry measurement of bolus flow time in achalasia and its correlation with dysphagia
Authors: Lin Z. , Carlson D. A. , Dykstra K. , Sternbach J. , Hungness E. , Kahrilas P. J. , Ciolino J. D. , Pandolfino J. E. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractBackgroundWe assessed whether a high‐resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) metric, bolus flow time (BFT) across the esophagogastric junction (EGJ), was abnormal in achalasia patients subtyped by the Chicago Classification and compared BFT to other HRM metrics.MethodsHRIM studies were performed in 60 achalasia patients (14 type I, 36 type II and 10 type III) and 15 healthy controls. Studies were analyzed with a MATLAB program to calculate BFT using a virtual HRIM sleeve. Integrated relaxation pressure (IRP) and basal end‐expiratory EGJ pressure were also calculated. The relationship between BFT and dysphagia symptom scores was assessed using the impaction dysphagia questionnaire (IDQ).Key ResultsMedian BFT was significantly lower in achalasia patients (0.5 s, range 0.0–3.5 s) compared to controls (3.5 s, range 2.0–5.0 s; p < 0.05). BFT was significantly lower in types I and II than in type III achalasia in both the supine and upright positions (p < 0.0001). BFT was the only HRIM metric significantly associated with IDQ score in both the supine (R2 = 0.20, p = 0.0046) and upright positions (R2 = 0.27, p = 0.0002).Conclusions & InferencesBFT was significantly reduced in all subtypes of achalasia and complementary to the IRP as a diagnostic discriminant in equivocal achalasia cases. Additionally, BFT had a more robust correlation with dysphagia severity compared to other metrics of EGJ function.
Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG supernatant upregulates serotonin transporter expression in intestinal epithelial cells and mice intestinal tissues
Authors: Wang Y. M. , Ge X. Z. , Wang W. Q. , Wang T. , Cao H. L. , Wang B. L. , Wang B. M. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractBackgroundThe role that probiotics play in relieving irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been demonstrated; however, the mechanism by which IBS is affected remains unclear. In this study, serotonin transporter (SERT) mRNA and serotonin transporter protein (SERT‐P) levels in HT‐29, Caco‐2 cells, and mice intestinal tissues were examined after treatment with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG supernatant (LGG‐s).MethodsHT‐29 and Caco‐2 cells were treated with different concentrations of LGG‐s for 12 and 24 h and C57BL/6 mice received supplements of different concentrations for 4 weeks. SERT mRNA and SERT‐P levels were detected by real‐time PCR and Western blotting.Key ResultsSERT mRNA and SERT‐P levels in HT‐29 and Caco‐2 cells were higher than those in the control 24 h after treatment. Undiluted LGG‐s upregulated SERT mRNA levels by 9.4‐fold in the first week, which dropped in the second week. The double‐diluted LGG‐s upregulated SERT mRNA by 2.07‐fold in the first week; levels dropped to 1.75‐fold within the second week and under base expression levels by the third week, while they again climbed to 1.56‐fold in the fourth week. The triple‐diluted LGG‐s could not upregulate SERT mRNA expression until the end of the fourth week. The SERT‐P levels in the double‐diluted LGG‐s group were higher than that in the control but fluctuated with time. SERT‐P levels in the triple‐diluted LGG‐s were higher than that in the control in the last 2 weeks and increased with time.Conclusions & InferencesLGG‐s can upregulate SERT mRNA and SERT‐P levels in intestinal epithelial cells and mice intestinal tissues.
Patients with refractory reflux symptoms often do not have GERD
Authors: Herregods T. V. K. , Troelstra M. , Weijenborg P. W. , Bredenoord A. J. , Smout A. J. P. M. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractBackgroundIn patients with typical reflux symptoms that persist despite proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) it is sometimes overlooked that treatment fails due to the presence of other disorders than gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The aim of this study was to determine the underlying cause of reflux symptoms not responding to PPI therapy in tertiary referral patients.MethodsPatients with reflux symptoms refractory to PPI therapy who underwent 24‐h pH‐impedance monitoring were analyzed. Patients in whom a diagnosis was already established before referral, who had previous esophageal or gastric surgery, or who had abnormalities on gastroscopy other than hiatus hernia, were excluded.Key ResultsIn total, 106 patients were included. Esophageal manometry showed achalasia in two patients and distal esophageal spasm in another two. Twenty‐four‐hour pH‐impedance monitoring revealed a total acid exposure time <6% in 60 patients (56.6%) of which 25 had a positive symptom association probability (SAP) while 35 showed a negative SAP. Sixty‐nine patients ended up with a final diagnosis of GERD while 32 patients (30.2%) were diagnosed with functional heartburn (FH), two with functional chest pain, two with achalasia, and one with rumination. A trend toward an association with a final diagnosis of FH was found with the atypical symptom epigastric pain (p = 0.059) and with a secondary diagnosis of functional dyspepsia (p = 0.083).Conclusions & InferencesApproximately one‐third of the patients referred with refractory reflux symptoms suffer from disorders other than GERD, predominantly FH. This explains, at least partly, why many patients will not benefit from acid inhibitory treatment.
Crosstalk between nitric oxide and glutathione is required for NONEXPRESSOR OF PATHOGENESIS‐RELATED GENES 1 (NPR1)‐dependent defense signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Kovacs Izabella , Durner Jörg , Lindermayr Christian 
Published: June 2015

Summary

Nitric oxide (NO) is a ubiquitous signaling molecule involved in a wide range of physiological and pathophysiological processes in animals and plants. Although its significant influence on plant immunity is well known, information about the exact regulatory mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in the defense response to pathogens is still limited.

We used genetic, biochemical, pharmacological approaches in combination with infection experiments to investigate the NO‐triggered salicylic acid (SA)‐dependent defense response in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The NO donor S‐nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) promoted the nuclear accumulation of NONEXPRESSOR OF PATHOGENESIS‐RELATED GENES 1 (NPR1) protein accompanied by an elevated SA concentration and the activation of pathogenesis‐related (PR) genes, leading to induced resistance of A. thaliana against Pseudomonas infection. Moreover, NO induced a rapid change in the glutathione status, resulting in increased concentrations of glutathione, which is required for SA accumulation and activation of the NPR1‐dependent defense response.

Our data imply crosstalk between NO and glutathione, which is integral to the NPR1‐dependent defense signaling pathway, and further demonstrate that glutathione is not only an important cellular redox buffer but also a signaling molecule in the plant defense response.
Does severe dietary energy restriction increase binge eating in overweight or obese individuals? A systematic review
Authors: da Luz F. Q. , Hay P. , Gibson A. A. , Touyz S. W. , Swinbourne J. M. , Roekenes J. A. , Sainsbury A. 
Published: June 2015

SummarySevere dietary energy restriction is often used for overweight or obese individuals to achieve rapid weight loss and related health improvements. However, the extent of putative adverse effects on eating behaviour is unknown. We thus systematically searched seven databases for studies that assessed binge eating before and after severe dietary energy restriction (low or very low energy diets) in overweight or obese individuals. Fifteen clinically supervised interventions from 10 publications (nine of which involved only women) were included. Among individuals with clinically relevant pre‐treatment binge eating disorder, severe dietary energy restriction significantly decreased binge eating in all four interventions involving this population, at least during the weight loss programme. In contrast, no consistent association between severe dietary energy restriction and the onset of bingeing was found in 11 interventions involving individuals without pre‐treatment binge eating disorder, with four such interventions showing significant increases, two showing no change, and five showing significant decreases in binge eating. We conclude that clinically supervised severe dietary energy restriction appears safe and beneficial for overweight or obese individuals with pre‐treatment binge eating disorder, and does not necessarily trigger binge eating in those without binge eating disorder.
Three‐Dimensional Cardiac Mapping Characterizes Ventricular Contractile Patterns during Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Implant: A Feasibility Study
Authors: NIAZI IMRAN K. , SPERZEL JOHANNES , HEIST EDWIN KEVIN , ROSENBERG STUART P. , RYU KYUNGMOO , YANG MICHAEL , D'AVILA ANDRE , SINGH JAGMEET P. 
Published: June 2015

BackgroundElectroanatomic mapping systems track the position of electrodes in the heart. We assessed the feasibility of characterizing left ventricular (LV) performance during cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) implant utilizing an electroanatomic mapping system to track the motion of CRT lead electrodes, thus deriving ventricular contractility surrogates.MethodsDuring CRT implant, atrial, right ventricular (RV), and LV leads were connected to the EnSite NavX™ mapping system (St. Jude Medical Inc., St. Paul, MN, USA). The relative displacement of electrodes was averaged over 10 cardiac cycles during RV, LV, and biventricular (BiV) pacing in DOO mode. Three contractility surrogates indicative of ventricular performance were extracted from the RV‐LV distance waveform: systolic slope (SS), time to peak systolic contraction (TPSC), and fractional shortening (FS).ResultsIn the 20 patients included, there were detectable differences in each of the three contractility surrogates responding to the different pacing configurations. Median SS varied 42%, median TPSC varied 35%, and median FS varied 19% across RV, LV, and BiV pacing interventions. The RV‐LV distance waveform showed subtle sensitivity to varying pacing timing cycles when measured in a subset of patients. For all pacing configurations, RV‐LV distance waveforms were stable during 2‐minute recordings.ConclusionsTracking the motion of CRT pacing electrodes with a mapping system to derive contractility surrogates during implant is feasible.
Comparison of the Effects of Epicardial and Endocardial Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy on Transmural Dispersion of Repolarization
Authors: ÖZCAN EMIN EVREN , SZILAGYI SZABOLCS , SALLO ZOLTAN , MOLNAR LEVENTE , ZIMA ENDRE , SZEPLAKI GABOR , OSZTHEIMER ISTVAN , ÖZTÜRK ALI , MERKELY BÉLA , GELLER LASZLO 
Published: June 2015

BackgroundDespite significant improvements in cardiac output and functional capacity with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), incidence of sudden cardiac death still remains high. Reversal of physiological myocardial activation sequence during epicardial pacing increases the transmural dispersion of repolarization (TDR). The aim of this study was to compare the effects of endocardial and epicardial biventricular pacing on repolarization parameters in the same patient group.MethodsSeven patients who had transseptal endocardial left ventricle (LV) lead placement, in whom epicardial CRT had failed due to coronary sinus (CS) lead dislodgement after successful implantation, were admitted to the study. LV endocardial leads were implanted through the interatrial septum in a lateral position. Electrocardiograms (ECGs) were scanned before and after successful epicardial and endocardial biventricular pacing and analyzed using digital calipers. ECG markers of TDR (TpTe and TpTe/QT ratio) were measured and compared.ResultsBaseline QRS durations (161.7 ± 15.9 ms vs 162.2 ± 17.8 ms, P = 0.95), TpTe values (107.1 ± 20.5 ms vs 108.5 ± 17.6 ms, P = 0.89), and TpTe/QT ratios (0.24 ± 0.05 vs 0.24 ± 0.03, P = 0.88) were similar before epicardial and endocardial CRT. QRS interval reduction was similar (–28.3 ± 11.6 ms vs –29.1 ± 11.4 ms, P = 0.89) in both groups. Compared to transseptal endocardial CRT, epicardial CRT was associated with a significant increase in TpTe (17.1 ± 19.5 ms vs –12.6 ± 18.9 ms, P = 0.01) and TpTe/QT ratio (0.03 ± 0.04 vs –0.02 ± 0.03, P = 0.04).ConclusionTransseptal LV endocardial pacing is associated with significant reduction in TDR characteristics compared to epicardial pacing in CRT. Further studies are warranted to determine whether these effects may contribute to reduction of arrhythmias in patients with CRT.
Interspecies gene transfer provides soybean resistance to a fungal pathogen
Authors: Langenbach Caspar , Schultheiss Holger , Rosendahl Martin , Tresch Nadine , Conrath Uwe , Goellner Katharina 
Published: June 2015

SummaryFungal pathogens pose a major challenge to global crop production. Crop varieties that resist disease present the best defence and offer an alternative to chemical fungicides. Exploiting durable nonhost resistance (NHR) for crop protection often requires identification and transfer of NHR‐linked genes to the target crop. Here, we identify genes associated with NHR of Arabidopsis thaliana to Phakopsora pachyrhizi, the causative agent of the devastating fungal disease called Asian soybean rust. We transfer selected Arabidopsis NHR‐linked genes to the soybean host and discover enhanced resistance to rust disease in some transgenic soybean lines in the greenhouse. Interspecies NHR gene transfer thus presents a promising strategy for genetically engineered control of crop diseases.
Disagreement between parents on assessment of child temperament traits
Authors: Kitamura Toshinori , Ohashi Yukiko , Minatani Mariko , Haruna Megumi , Murakami Mikihiko , Goto Yoshitaka 
Published: June 2015

AbstractBackgroundAccuracy of temperament assessment is a prerequisite in research studies. To identify the extent to which parental assessment of child temperament is biased by their personal attributes, we proposed a new structural equation model, in which biases of parental attributes in their assessment of child temperament can be separated from the true (i.e. non‐biased) associations between the two.MethodsWe examined 234 father–mother pairs using questionnaires including Emotionality, Activity, Sociability, and Impulsivity; Social Desirability Scale; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; Temperament and Character Inventory; and State–Trait Anger Expression Inventory.ResultsPaternal Depression and Persistence, maternal Trait Anger, and parental Novelty Seeking showed significant bias in assessment of Emotionality. Maternal Self‐transcendence showed significant bias in assessment of child Impulsivity.ConclusionResearchers should be cautious about biases in parental assessment of children's Emotionality and Impulsivity, but other temperament traits may be free from such biases.
Dormancy and germination: How does the crop seed decide?
Authors: Shu K. , Meng Y. J. , Shuai H. W. , Liu W. G. , Du J. B. , Liu J. , Yang W. Y. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractWhether seeds germinate or maintain dormancy is decided upon through very intricate physiological processes. Correct timing of these processes is most important for the plants life cycle. If moist conditions are encountered, a low dormancy level causes pre‐harvest sprouting in various crop species, such as wheat, corn and rice, this decreases crop yield and negatively impacts downstream industrial processing. In contrast, a deep level of seed dormancy prevents normal germination even under favourable conditions, resulting in a low emergence rate during agricultural production. Therefore, an optimal seed dormancy level is valuable for modern mechanised agricultural systems. Over the past several years, numerous studies have demonstrated that diverse endogenous and environmental factors regulate the balance between dormancy and germination, such as light, temperature, water status and bacteria in soil, and phytohormones such as ABA (abscisic acid) and GA (gibberellic acid). In this updated review, we highlight recent advances regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying regulation of seed dormancy and germination processes, including the external environmental and internal hormonal cues, and primarily focusing on the staple crop species. Furthermore, future challenges and research directions for developing a full understanding of crop seed dormancy and germination are also discussed.
Between‐site and ‐year variation in the relative susceptibility of native Scottish Pinus sylvestris populations to dothistroma needle blight
Authors: Fraser S. , Mullett M. S. , Woodward S. , Brown A. V. 
Published: June 2015

Dothistroma needle blight (DNB), caused by Dothistroma septosporum, is currently the disease causing most concern in British pine plantations. Previous artificial inoculation (AI) experiments showed that native Scottish Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) populations vary in susceptibility to DNB. However, it is unclear if the relative susceptibility of Scots pine populations observed in these experiments can be replicated under natural conditions. It is also unknown whether relative susceptibility of Scots pine populations varies between sites or years. To answer these two questions, young Scots pine plants from six native Scottish populations (Abernethy, Allt Broighleachan, Amat, Beinn Eighe, Glen Cannich and Glen Loyne) were exposed to natural D. septosporum inoculum at two Scottish sites (Culbin and Torrs Warren) between 2012 and 2014. DNB disease incidence and severity was assessed each October. Relative susceptibilities of the Scots pine populations varied between sites and across years. In two of the three years at Torrs Warren (2012 and 2014), the relative susceptibilities of the populations were strongly positively correlated with those observed in previous AI experiments. In these years, trees from Glen Loyne and Glen Cannich were the most susceptible. Conversely, there was no correlation between the relative susceptibilities seen in any year at Culbin with those observed in AI experiments. At Culbin, Beinn Eighe was the most susceptible population. Across both sites, there was a strong positive relationship between total summer precipitation and DNB severity (R = 0·93, t = 8·2, P = 0·001).
Relaxation training assisted by heart rate variability biofeedback: Implication for a military predeployment stress inoculation protocol
Authors: Lewis Gregory F. , Hourani Laurel , Tueller Stephen , Kizakevich Paul , Bryant Stephanie , Weimer Belinda , Strange Laura 
Published: June 2015

AbstractDecreased heart rate variability (HRV) is associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms, but PTSD's effects on the autonomic stress response and the potential influence of HRV biofeedback in stress relaxation training on improving PTSD symptoms are not well understood. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of a predeployment stress inoculation training (PRESTINT) protocol on physiologic measures of HRV in a large sample of the military population randomly assigned to experimental HRV biofeedback‐assisted relaxation training versus a control condition. PRESTINT altered the parasympathetic regulation of cardiac activity, with experimental subjects exhibiting greater HRV, that is, less arousal, during a posttraining combat simulation designed to heighten arousal. Autonomic reactivity was also found to be related to PTSD and self‐reported use of mental health services. Future PRESTINT training could be appropriate for efficiently teaching self‐help skills to reduce the psychological harm following trauma exposure by increasing the capacity for parasympathetically modulated reactions to stress and providing a coping tool (i.e., relaxation method) for use following a stressful situation.