bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nutritional status of haemodialysis patients: Comparison of Australian cohorts of Aboriginal and European descent
Authors: Todd Alwyn , Carroll Robert , Gallagher Meghan , Meade Anthony 
Published: October 2013

AbstractAimIt is not known whether nutritional status differs between Australian Aboriginal and non Aboriginal haemodialysis subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate the nutritional status of Australian Aboriginal and non‐Aboriginal haemodialysis subjects at satellite dialysis centres.MethodSeventy‐six (25 Aboriginal, 51 non‐Aboriginal) prevalent haemodialysis patients were enrolled in a 3‐month cross‐sectional study. Each month anthropometric and biochemical measurements were collected. Nutritional status (diet history, patient‐generated subjective global assessment (PG‐SGA), handgrip strength) was assessed by a dietitian.ResultsPG‐SGA detected mild to moderate malnutrition in 35% of Aboriginal patients and 25% of non‐Aboriginal patients. The overall physical rating on the PG‐SGA was significantly higher in Aboriginal patients, indicating the presence of a greater deficit in muscle mass in this population. Inter‐dialytic weight gain was significantly greater in Aboriginal subjects (median [range] 3.0 [2.1–5.7] vs 2.5 [−0.3–5.0] kg, P < 0.001). Glucose and HbA1c were significantly higher in Aboriginal subjects with diabetes than in non‐Aboriginal patients with diabetes (median [range] 9.4 [4.9–23.4] vs 5.7 [3.1–12.9], P = 0.002; 7.0 [5.2–11.0] vs 5.8 [4.6–9.0], P < 0.000; respectively). These findings occurred in the setting of each cohort having adequate dialysis parameters (median Kt/V of >1.6 and median normalized protein catabolic rate 1.5). Difficulties were encountered in obtaining dietary information from Aboriginal subjects using the diet history method.ConclusionSubjects had acceptable parameters of dialysis adequacy; however, 35% had evidence of malnutrition. Further research should focus on establishing a knowledge base for the nutritional management for Aboriginal dialysis subjects, and the development of a validated individual dietary assessment method for use in this population group.
Families' needs of critical care Muslim patients in Saudi Arabia: a quantitative study
Authors: Al‐Mutair Abbas Saleh , Plummer Virginia , Clerehan Rosemary , O'Brien Anthony (Tony) 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACTAimTo identify the needs of families of adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients in Saudi Arabia as perceived by family members and health care providers.BackgroundFamily members of critically ill patients are likely to have specific needs that should be addressed by the critical care team and which, if unmet, may produce stress for patients' families and health care providers. The literature has yet to identify the needs of Muslim families in relation to religious beliefs and cultural values in critical care settings in Saudi Arabia.DesignA cross‐sectional survey design.MethodA total of 176 family members and 497 intensive health care providers were recruited from eight adult mixed medical‐surgical ICUs between November 2011 and February 2012 utilizing a four‐point Likert type scale self‐administered questionnaire.ResultsThe findings revealed that family members and health care providers ranked assurance, information and cultural and spiritual needs as the most important, and support and proximity as least important. There were significant differences in the mean values found between family members and health care providers. A significant finding not identified in other studies was ‘The need to have the health care providers handle the body of the dead Muslim with extreme caution and respect’ which, under the dimension of cultural and spiritual needs, was perceived by family members to be the most important and by the health care providers as the fifth most important need.ConclusionThe recognition of family needs in the critical care unit informed the development of interventions to meet family needs and improve the care quality.
How much time do nurses need to write an ICU diary?
Authors: Nydahl Peter , Bäckman Carl G , Bereuther Johannes , Thelen Michael 
Published: October 2013

AbstractBackgroundDiaries in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) support patients and relatives during and after a stay on the ICU. Barriers to implementation of the ICU diary are workload, unwanted closeness to patients and lack of time.Aims and objectivesThe purpose of the study was to evaluate the time nurses consume writing an ICU diary. Further questions were to examine whether the first diary entry, which includes a more detailed description about the admission, consumes more time than other entries and whether the time taken depends on experience or workload of the nurses.DesignQuantitative, prospective, international observational multicentre study in four ICUs within the international diary network in Germany (two ICUs), Sweden and Switzerland (one ICU each).MethodDuring a 6‐month period in 2012/2013 nurses measured the time they consumed writing a diary in minutes and seconds, the number of diaries they contributed to and total number of diary entries, the nurse‐patient ratio, their level of experience in writing diaries, interruptions while writing in a diary and additional information like photographs or follow‐up visits.ResultsIn summary 29 diaries were collected which included 195 written entries. The first entry needed significantly more time than following entries (first entry: mean 13:33 min versus following entries: mean 5:31, p < 0·001). The mean time for following entries differed significantly between the countries: Switzerland: 6:14, Sweden 5:31 and Germany 3:36 (p < 0·001). Nurses with more experience used more time to write a diary (not significant). With increasing nurse‐patient‐ratio the time decreased for following entries (ratio 1:1: mean 5:42, ratio 1:2: mean 5:27, ratio 1:3: mean 3:12, p = 0·007).ConclusionWriting a diary for patients and relatives means an additional amount of time and workload, but according to the increased quality of nursing the time seems to be feasible for implementation. The measured time was self‐reported, thus including possible bias for the results.
AMPA receptor subunits expression and phosphorylation in cingulate cortex in rats following esophageal acid exposure
Authors: Banerjee B. , Medda B. K. , Pochiraju S. , Kannampalli P. , Lang I. M. , Sengupta J. N. , Shaker R. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractBackgroundWe recently reported an increase in N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunit expression and CaMKII‐dependent phosphorylation of NR2B in the rostral cingulate cortical (rCC) neurons following esophageal acid exposure in rats. As α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptors mediate the fast excitatory transmission and play a critical role in synaptic plasticity, in this study, we investigated the effect of esophageal acid exposure in rats on the expression of AMPA receptor subunits and the involvement of these molecular alterations in acid‐induced sensitization of neurons in the anterior cingulate (ACC) and midcingulate (MCC) cortices.MethodsIn molecular study, we examined GluA1 and GluA2 expression and phosphorylation in membrane preparations and in the isolated postsynaptic densities (PSDs) from rats receiving acute esophageal exposure of either saline (control group) or 0.1 N HCl (experimental group). In electrophysiological study, the effect of selective AMPA receptor (Ca2+ permeable) antagonist IEM‐1460 and CaMKII inhibitor KN‐93 was tested on responses of cortical neurons during acid infusion to address the underlying molecular mechanism of acid‐induced sensitization.Key ResultsThe acid exposure significantly increased expression of GluA1, pGluA1Ser831, and phosphorylated CaMKIIThr286, in the cortical membrane preparations. In isolated PSDs, a significant increase in pGluA1Ser831 was observed in acid‐treated rats compared with controls. Microinjection of IEM‐1460 or KN‐93 near the recording site significantly attenuated acid‐induced sensitization of cortical neurons.Conclusions & InferencesThe underlying mechanism of acid‐induced cortical sensitization involves upregulation and CaMKII‐mediated phosphorylation of GluA1. These molecular changes of AMPA receptors subunit GluA1 in the cortical neurons might play an important role in acid‐induced esophageal hypersensitivity.
Prevalence of colonic motor or evacuation disorders in patients presenting with chronic nausea and vomiting evaluated by a single gastroenterologist in a tertiary referral practice
Authors: Kolar G. J. , Camilleri M. , Burton D. , Nadeau A. , Zinsmeister A. R. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractBackgroundNausea and vomiting are thought to result from upper gastrointestinal dysfunctions. Our clinical observations led to the hypothesis that colonic motor dysfunction is associated with nausea and vomiting.MethodsWe reviewed electronic medical records (EMR) of 149 patients presenting with complaints of nausea and/or vomiting in a tertiary gastroenterology practice to investigate the association with disorders of colonic motor or evacuation disorders. We extracted demographics, gastric emptying (GE in 149) and colonic transit (CT in 138) of solids, ascending colon emptying half‐time (AC t1/2), rectal evacuation by anorectal manometry (ARM) in 91 and balloon expulsion test (BE) in 55 patients. We estimated the proportions with delayed GE or CT, based on the 5th percentile of GE (in 319) and CT in 220 healthy volunteers using same method.Key ResultsAmong 11 patients with nausea and/or vomiting with only GE measured, five had delayed and six normal GE. Among the 149 patients, 77 (52%) patients had evacuation disorders, confirmed by objective tests in 68 patients, and clinical examination in nine patients. In the 138 patients with both GE and CT measured, 106 (76%) had both normal GE and CT, 11 (8%) only delayed GE, 16 (11%) normal GE with delayed CT, and five (3%) delayed GE and CT. Among 21 patients (15%) with delayed CT, nine had slow AC t1/2 and 12 evacuation disorder.Conclusions & InferencesIn patients with chronic nausea and/or vomiting in gastroenterology practice, evaluation of colonic motility and rectal evacuation should be considered, since about half the patients have abnormal functions that conceivably contribute to the presenting nausea and/or vomiting.
Rhizosphere stoichiometry: are C : N : P ratios of plants, soils, and enzymes conserved at the plant species‐level?
Authors: Bell Colin , Carrillo Yolima , Boot Claudia M. , Rocca Jennifer D. , Pendall Elise , Wallenstein Matthew D. 
Published: October 2013

SummaryAs a consequence of the tight linkages among soils, plants and microbes inhabiting the rhizosphere, we hypothesized that soil nutrient and microbial stoichiometry would differ among plant species and be correlated within plant rhizospheres.We assessed plant tissue carbon (C) : nitrogen (N) : phosphorus (P) ratios for eight species representing four different plant functional groups in a semiarid grassland during near‐peak biomass. Using intact plant species‐specific rhizospheres, we examined soil C : N : P, microbial biomass C : N, and soil enzyme C : N : P nutrient acquisition activities.We found that few of the plant species' rhizospheres demonstrated distinct stoichiometric properties from other plant species and unvegetated soil. Plant tissue nutrient ratios and components of below‐ground rhizosphere stoichiometry predominantly differed between the C4plant speciesBuchloe dactyloidesand the legumeAstragalus laxmannii. The rhizospheres under the C4grassB. dactyloidesexhibited relatively higher microbial C and lower soil N, indicative of distinct soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition and nutrient mineralization activities.Assessing the ecological stoichiometry among plant species' rhizospheres is a high‐resolution tool useful for linking plant community composition to below‐ground soil microbial and nutrient characteristics. By identifying how rhizospheres differ among plant species, we can better assess how plant–microbial interactions associated with ecosystem‐level processes may be influenced by plant community shifts.
Meta‐analysis of deep‐sequenced fungal communities indicates limited taxon sharing between studies and the presence of biogeographic patterns
Authors: Meiser Anjuli , Bálint Miklós , Schmitt Imke 
Published: October 2013

Summary

High‐throughput amplicon sequencing gives new insights into fungal community ecology. Massively generated molecular data lead to the discovery of vast fungal diversity. However, it is unclear to what extent operational taxonomic units (OTUs) overlap among independent studies, because no comparative studies exist.

We compared fungal diversity based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) region among 10 published studies. Starting from the raw 454 pyrosequencing data, we used a uniform pipeline to prune the reads. We investigated fungal richness and taxonomic composition among phyllosphere and soil fungal communities, as well as biogeographic signals in the data.

We did not find globally distributed OTUs, even when comparing fungal communities from similar habitats (phyllosphere or soil). This suggests that high local fungal diversity scales up to high global diversity. The most OTU‐rich classes in the phyllosphere were Dothideomycetes (21%) and Sordariomycetes (14%), and in the soil were Sordariomycetes (13%) and Agaricomycetes (12%). The richness estimates suggest the presence of undiscovered fungal diversity even in deeply sequenced study systems.

The small number of OTUs shared among studies indicates that globally distributed taxa and habitat generalists may be rare. Latitudinal diversity decline and distance decay relationships suggest the presence of biogeographic patterns similar to those in plants and animals.
AtSIA1 AND AtOSA1: two Abc1 proteins involved in oxidative stress responses and iron distribution within chloroplasts
Authors: Manara Anna , DalCorso Giovanni , Leister Dario , Jahns Peter , Baldan Barbara , Furini Antonella 
Published: October 2013

Summary

The Abc1 protein kinases are a large family of functionally diverse proteins with multiple roles in the regulation of respiration and oxidative stress tolerance.

A functional characterization was carried out for AtSIA1, an Arabidopsis thaliana Abc1‐like protein, focusing on its potential redundancy with its homolog AtOSA1. Both proteins are located within chloroplasts, even if a different subplastidial localization seems probable. The comparison of atsia1 and atosa1 mutants, atsia1/atosa1 double mutant and wild‐type plants revealed a reduction in plastidial iron‐containing proteins of the Cytb6f complex in the mutants. Iron uptake from soil is not hampered in mutant lines, suggesting that AtSIA1 and AtOSA1 affect iron distribution within the chloroplast.

Mutants accumulated more ferritin and superoxide, and showed reduced tolerance to reactive oxygen species (ROS), potentially indicating a basal role in oxidative stress. The mutants produced higher concentrations of plastochromanol and plastoquinones than wild‐type plants, but only atsia1 plants developed larger plastoglobules and contained higher concentrations of α‐ and γ‐tocopherol and VTE1.

Taken together, these data suggest that AtSIA1 and AtOSA1 probably act in signaling pathways that influence responses to ROS production and oxidative stress.
Myo‐inositol oxygenase is important for the removal of excess myo‐inositol from syncytia induced by Heterodera schachtii in Arabidopsis roots
Authors: Siddique Shahid , Endres Stefanie , Sobczak Miroslaw , Radakovic Zoran S. , Fragner Lena , Grundler Florian M. W. , Weckwerth Wolfram , Tenhaken Raimund , Bohlmann Holger 
Published: October 2013

Summary

The enzyme myo‐inositol oxygenase is the key enzyme of a pathway leading from myo‐inositol to UDP‐glucuronic acid. In Arabidopsis, myo‐inositol oxygenase is encoded by four genes. All genes are strongly expressed in syncytia induced by the beet cyst nematode Heterodera schachtii in Arabidopsis roots. Here, we studied the effect of a quadruple myo‐inositol oxygenase mutant on nematode development.

We performed metabolite profiling of syncytia induced in roots of the myo‐inositol oxygenase quadruple mutant. The role of galactinol in syncytia was studied using Arabidopsis lines with elevated galactinol levels and by supplying galactinol to wild‐type seedlings.

The quadruple myo‐inositol oxygenase mutant showed a significant reduction in susceptibility to H. schachtii, and syncytia had elevated myo‐inositol and galactinol levels and an elevated expression level of the antimicrobial thionin gene Thi2.1. This reduction in susceptibility could also be achieved by exogenous application of galactinol to wild‐type seedlings.

The primary function of myo‐inositol oxygenase for syncytium development is probably not the production of UDP‐glucuronic acid as a precursor for cell wall polysaccharides, but the reduction of myo‐inositol levels and thereby a reduction in the galactinol level to avoid the induction of defence‐related genes.
Biological nitrogen fixation and biomass accumulation within poplar clones as a result of inoculations with diazotrophic endophyte consortia
Authors: Knoth Jenny L. , Kim Soo‐Hyung , Ettl Gregory J. , Doty Sharon L. 
Published: October 2013

Summary

Sustainable production of biomass for bioenergy relies on low‐input crop production. Inoculation of bioenergy crops with plant growth‐promoting endophytes has the potential to reduce fertilizer inputs through the enhancement of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF).

Endophytes isolated from native poplar growing in nutrient‐poor conditions were selected for a series of glasshouse and field trials designed to test the overall hypothesis that naturally occurring diazotrophic endophytes impart growth promotion of the host plants.

Endophyte inoculations contributed to increased biomass over uninoculated control plants. This growth promotion was more pronounced with multi‐strain consortia than with single‐strain inocula. Biological nitrogen fixation was estimated through 15N isotope dilution to be 65% nitrogen derived from air (Ndfa).

Phenotypic plasticity in biomass allocation and branch production observed as a result of endophyte inoculations may be useful in bioenergy crop breeding and engineering programs.
Long noncoding RNAs responsive to Fusarium oxysporum infection in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Zhu Qian‐Hao , Stephen Stuart , Taylor Jennifer , Helliwell Chris A. , Wang Ming‐Bo 
Published: October 2013

Summary

Short noncoding RNAs have been demonstrated to play important roles in regulation of gene expression and stress responses, but the repertoire and functions of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) remain largely unexplored, particularly in plants.

To explore the role of lncRNAs in disease resistance, we used a strand‐specific RNA‐sequencing approach to identify lncRNAs responsive to Fusarium oxysporum infection in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Antisense transcription was found in c. 20% of the annotated A. thaliana genes. Several noncoding natural antisense transcripts responsive to F. oxysporum infection were found in genes implicated in disease defense. While the majority of the novel transcriptionally active regions (TARs) were adjacent to annotated genes and could be an extension of the annotated transcripts, 159 novel intergenic TARs, including 20 F. oxysporum‐responsive lncTARs, were identified. Ten F. oxysporum‐induced lncTARs were functionally characterized using T‐DNA insertion or RNA‐interference knockdown lines, and five were demonstrated to be related to disease development. Promoter analysis suggests that some of the F. oxysporum‐induced lncTARs are direct targets of transcription factor(s) responsive to pathogen attack.

Our results demonstrated that strand‐specific RNA sequencing is a powerful tool for uncovering hidden levels of transcriptome and that IncRNAs are important components of the antifungal networks in A. thaliana.
Determining place and process: functional traits of ectomycorrhizal fungi that affect both community structure and ecosystem function
Authors: Koide Roger T. , Fernandez Christopher , Malcolm Glenna 
Published: October 2013

SummaryThere is a growing interest amongst community ecologists in functional traits. Response traits determine membership in communities. Effect traits influence ecosystem function. One goal of community ecology is to predict the effect of environmental change on ecosystem function. Environmental change can directly and indirectly affect ecosystem function. Indirect effects are mediated through shifts in community structure. It is difficult to predict how environmental change will affect ecosystem function via the indirect route when the change in effect trait distribution is not predictable from the change in response trait distribution. When response traits function as effect traits, however, it becomes possible to predict the indirect effect of environmental change on ecosystem function. Here we illustrate four examples in which key attributes of ectomycorrhizal fungi function as both response and effect traits. While plant ecologists have discussed response and effect traits in the context of community structuring and ecosystem function, this approach has not been applied to ectomycorrhizal fungi. This is unfortunate because of the large effects of ectomycorrhizal fungi on ecosystem function. We hope to stimulate further research in this area in the hope of better predicting the ecosystem‐ and landscape‐level effects of the fungi as influenced by changing environmental conditions.
Does a decade of elevated [CO2] affect a desert perennial plant community?
Authors: Newingham Beth A. , Vanier Cheryl H. , Kelly Lauren J. , Charlet Therese N. , Smith Stanley D. 
Published: October 2013

Summary

Understanding the effects of elevated [CO2] on plant community structure is crucial to predicting ecosystem responses to global change. Early predictions suggested that productivity in deserts would increase via enhanced water‐use efficiency under elevated [CO2], but the response of intact arid plant communities to elevated [CO2] is largely unknown.

We measured changes in perennial plant community characteristics (cover, species richness and diversity) after 10 yr of elevated [CO2] exposure in an intact Mojave Desert community at the Nevada Desert Free‐Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) Facility.

Contrary to expectations, total cover, species richness, and diversity were not affected by elevated [CO2]. Over the course of the experiment, elevated [CO2] had no effect on changes in cover of the evergreen C3 shrub, Larrea tridentata; alleviated decreases in cover of the C4 bunchgrass, Pleuraphis rigida; and slightly reduced the cover of C3 drought‐deciduous shrubs.

Thus, we generally found no effect of elevated [CO2] on plant communities in this arid ecosystem. Extended drought, slow plant growth rates, and highly episodic germination and recruitment of new individuals explain the lack of strong perennial plant community shifts after a decade of elevated [CO2].