bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mortality and prognostic factors of patients who have blood cultures performed in the emergency department: a cohort study
Authors: Lindvig Katrine P. , Nielsen Stig L. , Henriksen Daniel P. , Jensen Thøger G. , Kolmos Hans Jørn , Pedersen Court , Vinholt Pernille J. , Lassen Annmarie T. 
Published: February 2015

Background
Early identification and treatment of patients with severe infection improve their prognosis. The aims of this study were to describe the 30-day mortality and to identify prognostic factors among blood-cultured patients in a medical emergency department (MED).

Patients and methods
This was a hospital-based cohort study including all adult (≥15 years old) blood-cultured patients at the MED at Odense University Hospital between 1 August 2009 and 31 August 2011.

Results
During the study period, 5499/11 988 (45.9%) patients had blood cultures performed within 72 h of arrival and were included in the study. Of those included, 2631 (47.8%) were men, median age 69 years (range 15–103), and 418 (7.6%) were diagnosed with bacteraemia. The overall 30-day mortality among blood-cultured patients was 11.0% (10.2–11.9). In a multivariate Cox regression model, age of more than 80 years [hazard ratio (HR) 4.6 (95% CI 3.6–6.0)], at least two organ failure [HR 3.6 (2.9–4.5)], bacteraemia [HR 1.4 (1.1–1.8)], Charlson Comorbidity Index of at least 2 h [HR 1.7 (1.3–2.0)], SIRS [HR 1.5 (1.2–1.7)], a history of alcohol dependency [HR 1.7 (1.3–2.3)] and late drawing of blood cultures 24–48 h after arrival [HR 1.7 (1.3–2.2)] were found to be prognostic factors of mortality among blood-cultured patients in the MED.

Conclusion
Among blood-cultured patients in the MED, we found an 11.0% overall 30-day mortality. Factors associated with 30-day mortality were age more than 80 years, at least two organ failure, bacteraemia, Charlson Comorbidity Index of at least 2, SIRS, a history of alcohol dependency and late drawing of blood cultures.
Selection constrains phenotypic evolution in a functionally important plant trait
Authors: Muir Christopher D. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractA long-standing idea is that the macroevolutionary adaptive landscape – a ‘map’ of phenotype to fitness – constrains evolution because certain phenotypes are fit, while others are universally unfit. Such constraints should be evident in traits that, across many species, cluster around particular modal values, with few intermediates between modes. Here, I compile a new global database of 599 species from 94 plant families showing that stomatal ratio, an important functional trait affecting photosynthesis, is multimodal, hinting at distinct peaks in the adaptive landscape. The dataset confirms that most plants have all their stomata on the lower leaf surface (hypostomy), but shows for the first time that species with roughly half their stomata on each leaf surface (amphistomy) form a distinct mode in the trait distribution. Based on a new evolutionary process model, this multimodal pattern is unlikely without constraint. Further, multimodality has evolved repeatedly across disparate families, evincing long-term constraint on the adaptive landscape. A simple cost-benefit model of stomatal ratio demonstrates that selection alone is sufficient to generate an adaptive landscape with multiple peaks. Finally, phylogenetic comparative methods indicate that life history evolution drives shifts between peaks. This implies that the adaptive benefit conferred by amphistomy – increased photosynthesis – is most important in plants with fast life histories, challenging existing ideas that amphistomy is an adaptation to thick leaves and open habitats. I conclude that peaks in the adaptive landscape have been constrained by selection over much of land plant evolution, leading to predictable, repeatable patterns of evolution.
A minimalistic resource allocation model to explain ubiquitous increase in protein expression with growth rate
Authors: Barenholz Uri , Keren Leeat , Segal Eran , Milo Ron 
Published: February 2015

AbstractMost proteins show changes in level across growth conditions. Many of these changes seem to be coordinated with the specific growth rate rather than the growth environment or the protein function. Although cellular growth rates, gene expression levels and gene regulation have been at the center of biological research for decades, there are only a few models giving a base line prediction of the dependence of the proteome fraction occupied by a gene with the specific growth rate.We present a simple model that predicts a widely coordinated increase in the fraction of many proteins out of the proteome, proportionally with the growth rate. The model reveals how passive redistribution of resources, due to active regulation of only a few proteins, can have proteome wide effects that are quantitatively predictable. Our model provides a potential explanation for why and how such a coordinated response of a large fraction of the proteome to the specific growth rate arises under different environmental conditions. The simplicity of our model can also be useful by serving as a baseline null hypothesis in the search for active regulation. We exemplify the usage of the model by analyzing the relationship between growth rate and proteome composition for the model microorganismE.colias reflected in two recent proteomics data sets spanning various growth conditions. We find that the fraction out of the proteome of a large number of proteins, and from different cellular processes, increases proportionally with the growth rate. Notably, ribosomal proteins, which have been previously reported to increase in fraction with growth rate, are only a small part of this group of proteins. We suggest that, although the fractions of many proteins change with the growth rate, such changes could be part of a global effect, not requiring specific cellular control mechanisms.
Arabidopsis Glutamate Receptor Homolog3.5 Modulates Cytosolic Ca2+ Level to Counteract Effect of Abscisic Acid in Seed Germination
Authors: Kong Dongdong , Ju Chuanli , Parihar Aisha , Kim So , Cho Daeshik , Kwak June M. 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Seed germination is a critical step in a plant’s life cycle that allows successful propagation and is therefore strictly controlled by endogenous and environmental signals. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying germination control remain elusive. Here, we report that the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) glutamate receptor homolog3.5 (AtGLR3.5) is predominantly expressed in germinating seeds and increases cytosolic Ca2+ concentration that counteracts the effect of abscisic acid (ABA) to promote germination. Repression of AtGLR3.5 impairs cytosolic Ca2+ concentration elevation, significantly delays germination, and enhances ABA sensitivity in seeds, whereas overexpression of AtGLR3.5 results in earlier germination and reduced seed sensitivity to ABA. Furthermore, we show that Ca2+ suppresses the expression of ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE4 (ABI4), a key transcription factor involved in ABA response in seeds, and that ABI4 plays a fundamental role in modulation of Ca2+-dependent germination. Taken together, our results provide molecular genetic evidence that AtGLR3.5-mediated Ca2+ influx stimulates seed germination by antagonizing the inhibitory effects of ABA through suppression of ABI4. These findings establish, to our knowledge, a new and pivotal role of the plant glutamate receptor homolog and Ca2+ signaling in germination control and uncover the orchestrated modulation of the AtGLR3.5-mediated Ca2+ signal and ABA signaling via ABI4 to fine-tune the crucial developmental process, germination, in Arabidopsis.
The Role of the Plant-Specific ALTERED XYLOGLUCAN9 Protein in Arabidopsis Cell Wall PolysaccharideO-Acetylation
Authors: Schultink Alex , Naylor Dan , Dama Murali , Pauly Markus 
Published: February 2015

AbstractA mutation in the ALTERED XYLOGLUCAN9 (AXY9) gene was found to be causative for the decreased xyloglucan acetylation phenotype of the axy9.1 mutant, which was identified in a forward genetic screen for Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutants. The axy9.1 mutant also exhibits decreased O-acetylation of xylan, implying that the AXY9 protein has a broad role in polysaccharide acetylation. An axy9 insertional mutant exhibits severe growth defects and collapsed xylem, demonstrating the importance of wall polysaccharide O-acetylation for normal plant growth and development. Localization and topological experiments indicate that the active site of the AXY9 protein resides within the Golgi lumen. The AXY9 protein appears to be a component of the plant cell wall polysaccharide acetylation pathway, which also includes the REDUCED WALL ACETYLATION and TRICHOME BIREFRINGENCE-LIKE proteins. The AXY9 protein is distinct from the TRICHOME BIREFRINGENCE-LIKE proteins, reported to be polysaccharide acetyltransferases, but does share homology with them and other acetyltransferases, suggesting that the AXY9 protein may act to produce an acetylated intermediate that is part of the O-acetylation pathway.
Case of subepidermal autoimmune bullous disease with psoriasis vulgaris reacting to both BP180 C‐terminal domain and laminin gamma‐1
Authors: Ishida Syuichi , Takahashi Kazuo , Kanaoka Miwa , Okawa Tomoko , Tateishi Chiharu , Yasukochi Atsushi , Ishii Norito , Li Xiaoguang , Hashimoto Takashi , Aihara Michiko 
Published: February 2015

AbstractA number of cases of psoriasis vulgaris developing bullous skin lesions have been diagnosed as either bullous pemphigoid with antibodies to the 180‐kDa bullous pemphigoid antigen (BP180) non‐collagenous 16a (NC16a) domain or anti‐laminin‐γ1 (p200) pemphigoid. We report a case of subepidermal bullous disease with psoriasis vulgaris, showing antibodies to both BP180 C‐terminal domain and laminin‐γ1. A 64‐year‐old Japanese man with psoriasis vulgaris developed exudative erythemas and tense bullae on the whole body but he did not have mucosal involvement. The blistering lesion showed subepidermal blisters histopathologically. In indirect immunofluorescence of 1 mol/L NaCl‐split skin, immunoglobulin (Ig)G antibodies reacted with both the epidermal and dermal side. Immunoblotting showed positive IgG with recombinant protein of BP180 C‐terminal domain and 200‐kDa laminin‐γ1 in normal human dermal extract.
The Effects of Racemization Rate for Age Estimation of Pink Teeth
Authors: Sakuma Ayaka , Saitoh Hisako , Ishii Namiko , Iwase Hirotaro 
Published: February 2015

AbstractPink teeth is thought to result from the seepage of hemoglobin caused by dental pulp decomposition. We investigated whether racemization can be applied for age estimation in cases of pink teeth where the whole tooth is used. The pink teeth used were three cases and the normal teeth for control were five mandibular canines of known age. Age of the pink teeth was calculated on the basis of regression formula obtained from the five control teeth. Only a slight error was noted between the actual and estimated ages of the pink teeth (R2 = 0.980, r = 0.990): Cases 1–3 actually aged 23, 53, and 59 years were estimated to be 26, 52, and 60 years. Based on our results of testing pink teeth of known age, we suggest that racemization techniques allow for the age estimation of pink teeth using the same methods for normally colored teeth.
Advantage of ForensiX Swabs in Retrieving and Preserving Biological Fluids
Authors: Mawlood Shakhawan K. , Alrowaithi Majid , Watson Nigel 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThis study compares two novel swabs (forensiX) with a standard cotton swab (EUROTUBE) for the collection of saliva stains on glass slide for STR analysis. ForensiX collection tubes are a standard cotton swab in an “active drying” tube, where swab sample is soon dried by its innovative tube surface of the wall. The other is forensiX Nylon Flocked Swab. The study is two phases: The first “phase” assesses swab types regarding to retrieve ability of saliva. The second “phase” compares the drying ability of each swab to assess how crime samples would fare when left in storage. The main result showed that “active drying” is effective to store swabbed sample. The forensiX swabs generally are effective for higher (twofold to fourfold) DNA yield compared to delta lab swab (around 750 pg and 250 pg from 0.5 μL of saliva), respectively. These findings demonstrate the importance of drying performance in the preservation of DNA and swab selection.
PE‐Swab Direct STR Amplification of Forensic Touch DNA Samples
Authors: Liu Jason Y. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThe PE‐Swab direct STR amplification workflow was developed to process low‐level “touch DNA” samples. In this workflow, a forensic sample is first collected on a 4‐mm PE‐Swab (a novel sample collection device); two 2‐mm punches containing collected samples are then generated from the PE‐Swab and directly amplified for STR typing. Compared to the conventional STR workflow, which involves DNA extraction, purification, and elution volume reduction, the PE‐Swab direct STR amplification workflow does not require sample preparation and takes <60 sec before a touch sample is ready for STR amplification. Because there is no DNA loss due to sample preparation, the PE‐Swab workflow is more sensitive than the conventional STR workflow. The average peak height per sample obtained by the PE‐swab workflow is 3 times higher than that from the conventional workflow with both low‐level single source and two‐contributor mixture samples tested in this study.
Sex differences in risk factors for interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms in China
Authors: He Qun , Yang Yong , Xia Ming , Li Gui‐Zhong , Zhang Ning , Wu Shi‐Liang , Jin Rui , Shen Hong 
Published: February 2015

AimThe aim of the present study was to identify sex differences of risk factors for interstitial cystitis (IC)/painful bladder syndrome (PBS) in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) without urinary tract infection or benign prostate hyperplasia in China.Patients and MethodsA total of 954 outpatients with LUTS presenting for care to urology clinics in many hospitals on a national scale were surveyed using a standardized questionnaire. The definitions for PBS, based on the O'Leary–Sant IC symptom and problem indices, was used. The prevalence of possible risk factors was analysed using the Fisher's exact test, Pearson's χ2‐test and binary logistic regression methods.ResultsOf the multicentre patients surveyed (491 women and 463 men), 44.7 per cent (427/954) met the criteria for PBS. There was a significant difference between women and men [51.7 per cent (254/491) vs 37.3 per cent (173/463), P > 0.05]. After adjusting for confounding factors, bladder pain was found to be significantly associated with the consumption of stimulatory foods [odds ratio (OR): 3.85, 95 per cent confidence interval (CI): 1.58–9.36, P = 0.003] and anorectal disease (OR: 2.76, 95 per cent CI: 1.09–7.04, P = 0.03) in women. Caffeine beverage intake (OR: 3.54, 95 per cent CI: 1.54–8.12, P = 0.003) was identified the only modifiable association noted in a multivariate analysis of men. Factors in men significantly associated with an increased risk of IC/PBS were the consumption of caffeinated beverages (OR: 1.43, 95 per cent CI: 1.16–1.75, P = 0.001) and holding in urine (OR: 1.18, 95 per cent CI: 1.03–1.36, P = 0.034).ConclusionsA higher incidence of IC was founded in LUTS outpatients without urinary tract infection or benign prostate hyperplasia in China. Stimulating foods, irritable bowel, gynaecologically‐infected diseases and anorectal disease are potential risk factors for IC/PBS in women. Caffeinated beverages and holding in urine are potential risk factors for IC/PBS in men.
Fat grafting: A safe and effective treatment of craniofacial depression
Authors: Li George K.H. , Chung Joseph H.P. , Liu Lawrence H.L. , Chow Velda L.Y. , Lau Gregory Ian S.K. , Chan Richie C.L. 
Published: February 2015

AimMany techniques have been described to correct craniofacial depression defect to achieve satisfactory result but they involve complicated reconstruction and considerable donor site morbidities. The result of fat grafting in correction of the defects is demonstrated in this study.MethodsSix patients were treated during the period of November 2005 to August 2009. Median age was 47 years old. Diagnosis included post craniectomy forehead depression, lupus folliculitis, lymphoma panniculitis and Parry Romberg disease. Fat graft was harvested from abdomen, processed and then injected percutaneously to correct the defects. Total 13 procedures were performed, 9 under local anaesthesia, 3 under general anaesthesia and 1 under intravenous sedation. Standard facial photographs were taken before and at 4 months after the last treatment for comparison. The patients and 2 independent surgeons then score their level of satisfaction by using a score system from 0 to 10.ResultsThe median hospital stay and operation time are 1 day and 67.5 minutes respectively. The treatment session ranges from 1 to 6 with median of 1 session. Median volume of fat graft injected is 15.5cc. The patients and the two plastic surgeons rank moderate to high level of satisfaction. The median satisfaction scores are 8.0, 8.5 and 8.5 out of 10 in these groups accordingly. Injection site haematoma and transient facial nerve palsy happened in one patient each. The morbidities resolved spontaneously.ConclusionFat grafting is demonstrated to be safe and effective to correct craniofacial depression with high level of satisfaction and minimal morbidities.
A novel Wolbachia strain from the rice moth Corcyra cephalonica induces reproductive incompatibility in the whitefly Bemisia tabaci: sequence typing combined with phenotypic evidence
Authors: Hu Hong‐Yan , Li Zheng‐Xi 
Published: February 2015

SummaryWolbachia are a group of maternally inherited bacteria frequently found in arthropods and filarial nematodes. They have recently attracted attention for their ecological roles in manipulating host reproduction, their potential use in biological control of pest insects and medical significance. Classification of Wolbachia strains is currently solely based on molecular methods. However, the strains even with identical sequence types may induce different host phenotypes. Here we isolated a Wolbachia strain from the rice moth Corcyra cephalonica (designated as wCcep_B_BJ), which was shown to share multilocus sequence typing and Wolbachia surface protein hypervariable region profiles with a cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI)‐inducing strain in supergroup B, but the phenotype wCcep_B_BJ may induce needs to be determined. We thus transinfected it into the whitefly Bemisia tabaci harbouring an A‐Wolbachia through nymphal microinjection. Fluorescent in situ hybridization demonstrated that wCcep_B_BJ was successfully transinfected into B. tabaci and transmitted to offspring through host eggs. Reciprocal cross showed that wCcep_B_BJ induced a strong bidirectional CI in the transinfected host without imposing a significant cost on female fecundity. Our results suggest that wCcep_B_BJ may be a promising strain for biocontrol of B. tabaci, an important agricultural pest insect.
Clinical features of lung adenocarcinomas with epidermal growth factor receptor mutations and miliary disseminated carcinomatosis
Authors: Kim Hee Joung , Kang Seong Hui , Chung Hyun Woo , Lee Jong Sik , Kim Sun Jong , Yoo Kwang Ha , Lee Kye Young 
Published: February 2015

AbstractBackgroundWe have occasionally encountered advanced lung cancer patients with disseminated carcinomatosis throughout the body and/or within the lung. This study investigated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients with miliary disseminated carcinomatosis.MethodsPatients with adenocarcinomas harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations who presented with miliary disseminated carcinomatosis (either intrapulmonary or distant site) were enrolled in the study. Clinical characteristics, treatment responses, and survival outcomes were collected from medical records.ResultsThe most frequent EGFR mutation was an in‐frame deletion in exon 19 (n = 44, 68.8%). Arginine substitution of leucine 858 in exon 21 and alanine substitution of glycine 719 in exon 18 were detected in 19 patients (29.7%) and one patient (1.6%), respectively. Patients with miliary disseminated carcinomatosis tended to be female and non‐smokers. They expressed the E19 deletion more frequently than patients without miliary dissemination and had shorter progression‐free survival times in response to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (9.7 vs. 12.8 months, P = 0.003) and poorer overall survival (15.9 vs. 29.0 months, P = 0.077). Multivariate analyses revealed that metabolic tumor volume correlated with shorter overall survival time.ConclusionsOur data indicate that lung adenocarcinoma patients with miliary dissemination have relatively shorter survival times than those without miliary dissemination. The poor prognosis of patients with miliary dissemination may reflect a high tumor burden, as represented by metabolic tumor volume.
What is the Relationship Between Audit Partner Busyness and Audit Quality?
Authors: Goodwin John , Wu Donghui 
Published: February 2015

AbstractContemporaneous studies generally find a negative relationship between audit partner busyness (APB), measured as the number of clients in an audit partner's portfolio, and audit quality. Their argument is that a busy partner does not devote sufficient time to properly audit his average client. Contrary to these studies, we argue that when busyness is optimally chosen by the partner, in equilibrium, there is no causal relationship between APB and audit quality. Using Australian data for the 1999–2010 period, we show that APB is not reliably linked to audit quality, consistent with this equilibrium theory. We argue that causality can be ascribed to the APB‐audit quality relationship when accounting scandals exogenously shocked the Australian audit market during the 2002–04 period and APB likely deviated from optimum levels. Supporting this disequilibrium view, we find that higher APB reduces a partner's propensity to issue first‐time going‐concern opinions during this period. Our evidence highlights the importance of the equilibrium condition in testing empirical associations between audit outcomes and endogenous auditor attributes, and shows that the detrimental effect of APB on audit quality is not as pervasive as contemporaneous studies suggest.