bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prediabetes, diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes, their risk factors and association with knowledge of diabetes in rural Bangladesh: The Bangladesh Population‐based Diabetes and Eye Study
Authors: Islam Fakir M. Amirul , Chakrabarti Rahul , Islam M. Tauhidul , Wahab Mohammad , Lamoureux Ecosse , Finger Robert P. , Shaw Jonathan E. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractBackgroundThe aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of prediabetes and diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes mellitus (DM) in rural Bangladesh.MethodsUsing a population‐based cluster random sampling strategy, 3104 adults aged ≥30 years were recruited. Fasting capillary blood glucose, blood pressure, height, weight, waist circumference, and knowledge, attitudes, and practice related to diabetes were recorded. Diabetes was defined as fasting glucose (FG) ≥7.0 mmol/L or a self‐reported diagnosis of diabetes; impaired FG (IFG) was defined as FG ≥ 6.1 and <7.0 mmol/L.ResultsThe overall crude prevalence of DM was 7.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.3%–8.1%; n = 222), of which 55% (n = 123) was previously undiagnosed (UDM). The prevalence of IFG was 5.3% (95% CI 4.5%–6.1%; n = 163). The age‐standardized prevalence of DM and IFG was 6.6% and 5.0%, respectively. The prevalence of UDM was higher in people of lower socioeconomic status (59% vs 31%; P < 0.001). Of those with known DM, 56% had poor glycemic control (FG ≥ 7.0 mmol/L) and 37% were not on medication. Overall knowledge of DM was poor; only 16.3%, 17.8%, and 13.4% of those with UDM, IFG, and normal FG knew that diabetes causes eye disease, compared with 55.6% of those with known DM (Ptrend < 0.001).ConclusionsIn this rural Bangladeshi community, UDM was high. Lower socioeconomic status was associated with a higher risk of UDM. Overall knowledge of DM was poor. Public health programmes should target those of low socioeconomic status and aim to increase knowledge of DM in rural Bangladesh.
Vitamin D Versus Placebo in Improvement of Endothelial Dysfunction: A Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials
Authors: Stojanović Marko , Radenković Miroslav 
Published: April 2015

SummaryAimsThe possible effect of vitamin D administration in humans on endothelial dysfunction (ED) still remains undetermined. The current meta‐analysis was performed to evaluate if vitamin D could improve ED.MethodsRandomized, double‐blind, and placebo‐controlled clinical trials were identified by systematic search of the PubMed, the Cochrane Library, the Web of Science and the Scopus data bases, as well as different reviews and clinical trials articles. A random effects model was used to calculate the pooled overall effect on flow‐mediated dilation (FMD) linked to the vitamin D administration. Meta‐regression and subgroup analyses were performed to evaluate the impact of study characteristics on the effect of vitamin D administration on FMD.ResultsA total of eight studies with nine relevant study arms were identified. The obtained results of pooled analysis showed that vitamin D administration did not improve FMD (eight studies, 529 subjects; weighted mean difference (WMD): 0.96%, 95% CI: −1.24% to 2.06%; P = 0.09). This was probably due to significant heterogeneity in between included trials (I2 = 84%, P < 0.00001). On the other hand, subgroup analysis demonstrated that vitamin D improved FMD in trials that lasted <16 weeks; if systolic blood pressure (SBP) was higher than 140 mmHg and in trials where diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was <80 mmHg.ConclusionAlthough the current evidence clearly demonstrates that in certain conditions vitamin D can improve ED, a larger number of clinical trials are needed to confirm this assumption to confirm or reject the final statement on this topic.
Vulnerability of Antarctic shallow invertebrate‐dominated ecosystems
Authors: Clark Graeme F. , Raymond Ben , Riddle Martin J. , Stark Jonathan S. , Johnston Emma L. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractHuman impacts threaten not only species, but also entire ecosystems. Ecosystems under stress can collapse or transition into different states, potentially reducing biodiversity at a variety of scales. Here we examine the vulnerability of Antarctic shallow invertebrate‐dominated ecosystems, which may be threatened for several reasons. These unique shallow‐water communities mostly consist of dark‐adapted invertebrates, and rely on sea ice to create low‐light marine environments. Climate change is likely to cause early breakout of seasonal sea ice in parts of Antarctica, which will dramatically increase the amount of light reaching shallow seabed. This is predicted to result in ecological regime shifts, in which invertebrate‐dominated communities are replaced by macroalgal beds. Habitat for these endemic Antarctic ecosystems is globally rare, and the fragmented nature of their distribution along Antarctic coast increases their sensitivity to change. Concurrently, human activities in Antarctica are concentrated in areas where these habitats occur, compounding potential impacts. While there are clear mechanisms of threat to these ecosystems, lack of knowledge about their spatial distribution obscures predictions of potential ecosystem loss, and the likelihood of recovery. In this paper we describe these ecosystems, their association with the environment and the reasons for their vulnerability. We estimate their spatial distribution around Antarctica using sea ice and bathymetric data, and apply the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Ecosystems criteria to assess their vulnerability. Best available data suggest that shallow ice‐covered ecosystems are likely Near Threatened to Vulnerable in places, although the magnitude of risk is spatially variable and requires additional data to strengthen the assessment.
Fish predation regimes modify benthic diatom community structures: Experimental evidence from an in situ mesocosm study
Authors: Wasserman R. J. , Vink T. J. F. , Dalu T. , Froneman P. W. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractDiatoms are important primary producers in shallow water environments. Few studies have assessed the importance of biological interactions in structuring these communities. In the present study, benthic diatom community structure in relation to manipulated food webs was assessed using in situ mesocosms, whereby predator‐free environments and environments comprising two different fish species were assessed. Zooplankton abundance, settled algal biomass and the diatom community were monitored over a 12‐day period across each of the three trophic scenarios. Differences among treatments over time were observed in zooplankton abundances, particularly copepods. Similarly, the benthic diatom community structure changed significantly over time across the three trophic treatments. However, no differences in total algal biomass were found among treatments. This was likely the result of non‐diatom phytoplankton contributions. We propose that the benthic diatom community structure within the mesocosms was influenced by trophic cascades and potentially through direct consumption by the fish. The study highlights that not only are organisms at the base of the food web affected by predators at the top of the food web, but that predator identity is potentially an important consideration for predator–prey interaction outcomes with consequences for multiple trophic levels.
Incidence of intravascular injection and the spread of contrast media during S1 transforaminal epidural steroid injection by two approaches: anteroposterior vs oblique
Authors: Kim D.‐H. , Yoon D. M. , Yoon K. B. 
Published: April 2015

SummaryThe aim of this randomised study was to compare the incidence of intravascular injections during S1 transforaminal epidural steroid injection performed in the anteroposterior and oblique views. We also compared epidural spread patterns of contrast media, which included 201 injections at the S1 level. The overall incidence of intravascular injection during S1 transforaminal epidural steroid injection in the anteroposterior view was 29% (29/99), significantly higher than in the oblique view (11%, 11/102, p = 0.001). There were no significant differences between the two groups for epidural spread of contrast media in cases where intravascular injections did not occur (p = 0.77). Performing S1 transforaminal epidural steroid injection in the oblique view rather than the anteroposterior view reduces the risk of intravascular injections.
NSAIDs and spontaneous abortions – true effect or an indication bias?
Authors: Daniel Sharon , Koren Gideon , Lunenfeld Eitan , Levy Amalia 
Published: April 2015

AimThe aim of the study was to characterize the extent of indication bias resulting from the excessive use of NSAIDs on the days preceding a spontaneous abortion to relieve pain.MethodsWe used data from a retrospective cohort study assessing the risk for spontaneous abortions following exposure to NSAIDs. Three definitions of exposure for cases of spontaneous abortions were compared, from the first day of pregnancy until the day of spontaneous abortion and until 3 and 2 days before a spontaneous abortion. Statistical analysis was performed using multivariate time programmed Cox regression.ResultsA sharp increase was observed in the dispensation of indomethacin, diclofenac and naproxen, and a milder increase was found in the use of ibuprofen during the week before a spontaneous abortion. Non‐ selective COX inhibitors in general and specifically diclofenac and indomethacin were found to be associated with spontaneous abortions when the exposure period was defined until the day of spontaneous abortion (hazard ratio (HR) 1.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04, 1.28; HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.08, 1.59 and HR 3.33, 95% CI 2.09, 5.29, respectively). The effect disappears by excluding exposures occurring on the day before the spontaneous abortion for non‐selective COX inhibitors and on the last week before the spontaneous abortion for indomethacin. In general, decreasing HRs were found with the exclusion of exposures occurring on the days immediately before the spontaneous abortion.ConclusionsThe increased use of NSAIDs during the last few days that preceded a spontaneous abortion to relieve pain associated with the miscarriage could bias studies assessing the association between exposure to NSAIDs and spontaneous abortions.
Population structure of humpback whales in the western and central South Pacific Ocean as determined by vocal exchange among populations
Authors: Garland Ellen C. , Goldizen Anne W. , Lilley Matthew S. , Rekdahl Melinda L. , Garrigue Claire , Constantine Rochelle , Hauser Nan Daeschler , Poole M. Michael , Robbins Jooke , Noad Michael J. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractFor cetaceans, population structure is traditionally determined by molecular genetics or photographically identified individuals. Acoustic data, however, has provided information on movement and population structure with less effort and cost than traditional methods in an array of taxa. Male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) produce a continually evolving vocal sexual display, or song, that is similar among all males in a population. The rapid cultural transmission (the transfer of information or behavior between conspecifics through social learning) of different versions of this display between distinct but interconnected populations in the western and central South Pacific region presents a unique way to investigate population structure based on the movement dynamics of a song (acoustic) display. Using 11 years of data, we investigated an acoustically based population structure for the region by comparing stereotyped song sequences among populations and years. We used the Levenshtein distance technique to group previously defined populations into (vocally based) clusters based on the overall similarity of their song display in space and time. We identified the following distinct vocal clusters: western cluster, 1 population off eastern Australia; central cluster, populations around New Caledonia, Tonga, and American Samoa; and eastern region, either a single cluster or 2 clusters, one around the Cook Islands and the other off French Polynesia. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that each breeding aggregation represents a distinct population (each occupied a single, terminal node) in a metapopulation, similar to the current understanding of population structure based on genetic and photo‐identification studies. However, the central vocal cluster had higher levels of song‐sharing among populations than the other clusters, indicating that levels of vocal connectivity varied within the region. Our results demonstrate the utility and value of using culturally transmitted vocal patterns as a way of defining connectivity to infer population structure. We suggest vocal patterns be incorporated by the International Whaling Commission in conjunction with traditional methods in the assessment of structure.
Cumulative risk disparities in children's neurocognitive functioning: a developmental cascade model
Authors: Wade Mark , Browne Dillon T. , Plamondon Andre , Daniel Ella , Jenkins Jennifer M. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractThe current longitudinal study examined the role of cumulative social risk on children's theory of mind (ToM) and executive functioning (EF) across early development. Further, we also tested a cascade model of development in which children's social cognition at 18 months was hypothesized to predict ToM and EF at age 4.5 through intermediary language skills at age 3. We then examined whether this developmental mechanism varied as a function of social risk status. Participants were 501 children recruited when they were newborns, at which point eight psychosocial risk factors were assessed and combined into a metric of cumulative social disadvantage. Families were followed up at 18 months, at which point four social‐cognitive skills were assessed using developmentally sensitive tasks: joint attention, empathy, cooperation, and self‐recognition. Language was measured at age 3 using a standardized measure of receptive vocabulary. At age 3 and 4.5, EF and ToM were measured using previously validated tasks. Results showed that there were notable cumulative risk disparities in overall neurocognitive skill development, and these effects became more differentiated over time. Support was also found for a developmental mechanism wherein the effect of social cognition at 18 months on ToM and EF in the preschool period operated specifically through children's receptive language ability at age 3. This pathway functioned similarly for children with both low‐ and high‐risk backgrounds. These results extend previous findings by documenting the role of cumulative social disadvantage on children's neurocognition and the pathways that link key neurocognitive abilities across early development.
Distinct methylation patterns in genes that affect mitochondrial function are associated with kidney disease in blood‐derived DNA from individuals with Type 1 diabetes
Authors: Swan E. J. , Maxwell A. P. , McKnight A. J. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractAimsEpigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, can influence the risk of developing kidney disease. We studied methylation profiles in genes related to mitochondrial function to assess whether differences in these epigenetic features were associated with diabetic kidney disease in people with Type 1 diabetes.MethodsA case–control association study was undertaken (n = 196 individuals with diabetic kidney disease vs. n = 246 individuals without renal disease). Participants were White and diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes before 31 years of age. Genes that encode mitochondrial proteins (n = 780) were downloaded from mitoproteome.org. DNA methylation profiles from blood‐derived DNA were generated using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 (262 samples) and Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation27 (192 samples) arrays. Beta values (β) were calculated and quality control was conducted, including evaluating blind duplicate DNA samples.ResultsFifty‐four Cytosine‐phosphate‐Guanine probes across 51 unique genes were significantly associated (P ≤ 10–8) with diabetic kidney disease across both the 450K and the 27K methylation arrays. A subanalysis, employing the 450K array, identified 755 Cytosine‐phosphate‐Guanine probes in 374 genes that were significantly associated (P ≤ 10‐8) with end‐stage renal disease. Forty‐six of the top‐ranked variants for diabetic kidney disease were also identified as being differentially methylated in individuals with end‐stage renal disease. The largest change in methylation (Δβ = 0.2) was observed for cg03169527 in the TAMM41 gene, chromosome 3p25.2. Three genes, PMPCB, TSFM and AUH, were observed with differential methylation at multiple Cytosine‐phosphate‐Guanine sites each (P < 10–12).ConclusionsDifferential methylation in genes that influence mitochondrial function are associated with kidney disease in individuals with Type 1 diabetes.
Distant yet Near: Promoting Interdisciplinary Learning in Significantly Diverse Teams through Socially Responsible Projects
Authors: Adya Monica , Temple Bryan K. , Hepburn Donald M. 
Published: April 2015

ABSTRACTWith global specialization of work units within organizations, interdisciplinary work practices comprised of collaborative efforts between technical and business teams are increasingly common in today's workplace. While higher education has responded by creating opportunities for remote teams to learn from collaborative work, occasions for interaction between remotely situated significantly diverse teams such as business and engineering are few. This study describes a pedagogical offering between U.S.‐based business teams and U.K.‐based engineering teams that delivers such an experience around mutually dependent, socially responsible projects. Results from student surveys and reflections confirm that the pedagogical design is able to generate perceived interdependence between these diverse teams. Student responses to surveys also suggest that the collaboration is effective in raising student confidence in interdisciplinary and remote team work among students. The study concludes with recommendations for transferability and actualization of interdisciplinary collaboration.
Noninvasive sampling of DNA from larval exuvia in diving beetles of the genera Cybister and Dytiscus
Authors: Inoda Toshio , Miyazaki Yusuke , Kitano Tadashi , Kubota Souichirou 
Published: April 2015

AbstractNonlethal DNA sampling is a highly recommendable method in molecular genetic studies of protected and endangered species. To develop a demonstrably nonlethal method of obtaining DNA from larvae of endangered diving beetles (Cybister brevis, C. lewisianus, C. limbatus, C. rugosus, Dytiscus sharpi sharpi and D. sharpi validus), we obtained the larval exuvia (molted skin) of these endangered diving beetles under laboratory conditions. A single exuvia 24 h after molting was sufficient to allow polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of a mitochondrial DNA gene, cytochrome‐c oxidase subunit I (COI), and the sequence of the COI gene could be determined directly. Sequences obtained from the exuvial samples were used to further find similarities within DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank. Genomic DNA from the samples was successfully isolated, and we identified the species. This process suggests that exuvia provides a good sample for extracting DNA from endangered diving beetle larvae without killing them.
Thrombin generation measured as thrombin–antithrombin complexes predicts clinical outcomes in patients with cirrhosis
Authors: Kalambokis Georgios N. , Oikonomou Aikaterini , Baltayiannis Gerasimos , Christou Leonidas , Kolaitis Nikolaos I. , Tsianos Epameinondas V. 
Published: April 2015

AimHypercoagulability has been detected in patients with cirrhosis yet its clinical significance remains unclear. We investigated the association of hypercoagulability with clinical outcomes in patients with cirrhosis.MethodsThrombin–antithrombin (TAT) complexes as thrombin generation (TG) marker, D‐dimer, antithrombin (AT), protein C, protein S, international normalized ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, Child–Pugh class and Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease (MELD) were evaluated. Two different multivariate analyses were performed: one not including MELD (model 1) and one including MELD and excluding INR (model 2).ResultsEighty‐one patients (Child–Pugh class A/B/C: 27/27/27) and 40 healthy subjects were enrolled. Only ΤΑΤ and AT were independently associated with increasing liver disease severity. Increased TAT levels and MELD score were significantly associated with ascites and varices at baseline. Independent predictors of follow‐up events were: TAT and MELD score for new‐onset ascites; TAT and AT for variceal bleeding (VB); TAT and AT for portal vein thrombosis (PVT); and TAT and MELD for mortality. TAT equaled MELD in mortality prediction at 12 and 18 months. TAT cut‐offs at 5.35, 14.6, 13.5 and 9.25 ng/mL identified patient groups with significantly higher probability of new‐onset ascites, VB, PVT and mortality, respectively.ConclusionIncreased TG is strongly correlated with portal hypertension‐related complications, PVT and mortality in patients with cirrhosis. Measuring TG by TAT could enable risk stratification and institution of preventive strategies to improve clinical outcomes.
A qualitative exploration of the impact of the economic recession in Spain on working, living and health conditions: reflections based on immigrant workers' experiences
Authors: Ronda Elena , Briones‐Vozmediano Erica , Galon Tanyse , García Ana M. , Benavides Fernando G. , Agudelo‐Suárez Andrés A. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractBackgroundThis study aimed to analyse how immigrant workers in Spain experienced changes in their working and employment conditions brought about Spain's economic recession and the impact of these changes on their living conditions and health status.MethodWe conducted a grounded theory study. Data were obtained through six focus group discussions with immigrant workers (n = 44) from Colombia, Ecuador and Morocco, and two individual interviews with key informants from Romania living in Spain, selected by theoretical sample.ResultsThree categories related to the crisis emerged – previous labour experiences, employment consequences and individual consequences – that show how immigrant workers in Spain (i) understand the change in employment and working conditions conditioned by their experiences in the period prior to the crisis, and (ii) experienced the deterioration in their quality of life and health as consequences of the worsening of employment and working conditions during times of economic recession.ConclusionThe negative impact of the financial crisis on immigrant workers may increase their social vulnerability, potentially leading to the failure of their migratory project and a return to their home countries. Policy makers should take measures to minimize the negative impact of economic crisis on the occupational health of migrant workers in order to strengthen social protection and promote health and well‐being.