bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The evolution of mammal body sizes: responses to Cenozoic climate change in North American mammals
Authors: Lovegrove B. G. , Mowoe M. O. 
Published: May 2013

AbstractExplanations for the evolution of body size in mammals have remained surprisingly elusive despite the central importance of body size in evolutionary biology. Here, we present a model which argues that the body sizes of Nearctic mammals were moulded by Cenozoic climate and vegetation changes. Following the early Eocene Climate Optimum, forests retreated and gave way to open woodland and savannah landscapes, followed later by grasslands. Many herbivores that radiated in these new landscapes underwent a switch from browsing to grazing associated with increased unguligrade cursoriality and body size, the latter driven by the energetics and constraints of cellulose digestion (fermentation). Carnivores also increased in size and digitigrade, cursorial capacity to occupy a size distribution allowing the capture of prey of the widest range of body sizes. With the emergence of larger, faster carnivores, plantigrade mammals were constrained from evolving to large body sizes and most remained smaller than 1 kg throughout the middle Cenozoic. We find no consistent support for either Cope's Rule or Bergmann's Rule in plantigrade mammals, the largest locomotor guild (n = 1186, 59% of species in the database). Some cold‐specialist plantigrade mammals, such as beavers and marmots, showed dramatic increases in body mass following the Miocene Climate Optimum which may, however, be partially explained by Bergmann's rule. This study reemphasizes the necessity of considering the evolutionary history and resultant form and function of mammalian morphotypes when attempting to understand contemporary mammalian body size distributions.
Using Genome‐Referenced Expressed Sequence Tag Assembly to Analyze the Origin and Expression Patterns of Gossypium hirsutum Transcripts
Authors: Jin Xiang , Li Qin , Xiao Guanghui , Zhu Yu‐Xian 
Published: May 2013

AbstractWe assembled a total of 297,239 Gossypium hirsutum (Gh, a tetraploid cotton, AADD) expressed sequence tag (EST) sequences that were available in the National Center for Biotechnology Information database, with reference to the recently published G. raimondii (Gr, a diploid cotton, DD) genome, and obtained 49,125 UniGenes. The average lengths of the UniGenes were increased from 804 and 791 bp in two previous EST assemblies to 1,019 bp in the current analysis. The number of putative cotton UniGenes with lengths of 3 kb or more increased from 25 or 34 to 1,223. As a result, thousands of originally independent G. hirsutum ESTs were aligned to produce large contigs encoding transcripts with very long open reading frames, indicating that the G. raimondii genome sequence provided remarkable advantages to assemble the tetraploid cotton transcriptome. Significant different distribution patterns within several GO terms, including transcription factor activity, were observed between D‐ and A‐derived assemblies. Transcriptome analysis showed that, in a tetraploid cotton cell, 29,547 UniGenes were possibly derived from the D subgenome while another 19,578 may come from the A subgenome. Finally, some of the in silico data were confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction experiments to show the changes in transcript levels for several gene families known to play key role in cotton fiber development. We believe that our work provides a useful platform for functional and evolutionary genomic studies in cotton.
Efficacy and safety of Privigen® in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: results of a prospective, single‐arm, open‐label Phase III study (the PRIMA study)
Authors: Léger Jean‐Marc , De Bleecker Jan L. , Sommer Claudia , Robberecht Wim , Saarela Mika , Kamienowski Jerzy , Stelmasiak Zbigniew , Mielke Orell , Tackenberg Björn , Shebl Amgad , Bauhofer Artur , Zenker Othmar , Merkies Ingemar S. J. ,   on behalf of the PRIMA study investigators
Published: May 2013

AbstractThis prospective, multicenter, single‐arm, open‐label Phase III study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Privigen® (10% liquid human intravenous immunoglobulin [IVIG], stabilized with l‐proline) in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). Patients received one induction dose of Privigen (2 g/kg body weight [bw]) and up to seven maintenance doses (1 g/kg bw) at 3‐week intervals. The primary efficacy endpoint was the responder rate at completion, defined as improvement of ≥1 point on the adjusted Inflammatory Neuropathy Cause and Treatment (INCAT) disability scale. The preset success criterion was the responder rate being ≥35%. Of the 31 screened patients, 28 patients were enrolled including 13 (46.4%) IVIG‐pretreated patients. The overall responder rate at completion was 60.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 42.41%–76.43%). IVIG‐pretreated patients demonstrated a higher responder rate than IVIG‐naïve patients (76.9% vs. 46.7%). The median (25%–75% quantile) INCAT score improved from 3.5 (3.0–4.5) points at baseline to 2.5 (1.0–3.0) points at completion, as did the mean (standard deviation [SD]) maximum grip strength (66.7 [37.24] kPa vs. 80.9 [31.06] kPa) and the median Medical Research Council sum score (67.0 [61.5–72.0] points vs. 75.5 [71.5–79.5] points). Of 108 adverse events (AEs; 0.417 AEs per infusion), 95 AEs (88.0%) were mild or moderate in intensity and resolved by the end of study. Two serious AEs of hemolysis were reported that resolved after discontinuation of treatment. Thus, Privigen provided efficacious and well‐tolerated induction and maintenance treatment in patients with CIDP.
Factors that influence obesity, functional capacity, anxiety and depression outcomes following a Phase III cardiac rehabilitation programme
Authors: McKee Gabrielle , Kerins Mary , Fitzgerald Geraldine , Spain Marie , Morrison Karen 
Published: May 2013

Aims and objectivesTo examine changes in functional capacity, anxiety, depression and BMI in patients who completed a cardiac rehabilitation programme and to determine the influencing factors.BackgroundWhile the effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation is long established, more studies are needed to examine the combined effectiveness of this multicomponent intervention and the factors that influence this in the changed profile of patients currently attending cardiac rehabilitation.DesignThe study was a longitudinal retrospective study of patients following a six‐ or eight‐week Phase III cardiac rehabilitation programme.MethodsThe study recruited 154 patients. Functional capacity, anxiety, depression, weight, waist circumference and BMI were assessed at the beginning and end of cardiac rehabilitation. t‐tests were used to assess changes over time, and multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the influence of factors on these changes.ResultsSignificant improvements were seen in functional capacity, waist circumference, weight and BMI, but not in depression and anxiety. Multivariate analysis revealed that being younger and less fit was associated with greater improvements in functional capacity while reason for referral, gender, depression or BMI did not influence improvements in functional capacity. Models testing the influence of the factors on BMI, anxiety and depression were not significant.ConclusionCardiac rehabilitation is still an effective method to instigate changes in cardiac risk factors despite the changes in patients profile attending programmes.Relevance to clinical practiceContinued encouragement of the historically less typical patients to participate in cardiac rehabilitation is needed as reason for referral, gender, depression or BMI did not influence improvements in functional capacity. Despite psychosocial components within the programme, no significant improvements were observed over cardiac rehabilitation in depression or anxiety. While effectiveness was observed, there is room for further optimisation of practice and research by employing and documenting clearly the use of behavioural techniques.
Training of nurses in point‐of‐care testing: a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Liikanen Eeva , Lehto Liisa 
Published: May 2013

Aims and objectivesTo review and describe the training of nurses in point‐of care testing.BackgroundPoint‐of‐care tests are usually carried out by nurses. They are used in many healthcare units. Through training, nurses are able to improve their competence in performing point‐of‐care testing.DesignSystematic review.MethodA literature search of electronic data was undertaken in autumn 2011 using CINAHL, The Cochrane Library, Medline (Ovid) and Scopus databases.ResultsFrom the available literature, six specific initiatives were analysed. The studies were performed on three continents and in five healthcare settings. The three interventions were related to glucose point‐of‐care testing. The training approaches involved seven aspects. The interventions were diverse, broad and multifaceted, but they appeared to be successful. The strength of the interventions lay in the involvement of laboratory staff. Quantitative synthesis of the data was not undertaken because of different designs for the studies.ConclusionTraining can improve nurses' competence, and many methods are available. There are very few studies of training nurses in point‐of‐care testing, although in‐depth descriptions of interventions in different settings would be valuable.Relevance to clinical practiceNurses can be trained using a variety of methods in different healthcare settings. To save resources, especially in large hospitals and sparsely populated areas, distance learning is worth considering. However if training is delivered with the support of laboratory professionals, nurses subsequently perform good‐quality point‐of‐care testing.
Effects of the bolus volume on hyoid movements in normal individuals
Authors: Ueda N. , Nohara K. , Kotani Y. , Tanaka N. , Okuno K. , Sakai T. 
Published: May 2013

SummaryThe hyoid bone moves during swallowing due to contraction of suprahyoid muscles, which are critical components of normal swallowing function. It has been reported that the muscle force and shortening velocity decline gradually with age. Reduced hyoid velocities may delay the sealing of the laryngeal vestibule and opening of the cricopharyngeal muscle. We hypothesised that the hyoid velocity could be a factor influencing aspiration. This study evaluated effects of bolus volume changes on the hyoid distance and velocity in normal swallowing. The subjects were 21 healthy young adults. Lateral projection videofluorography was recorded while each subject swallowed 2·5, 5·0, 10 and 20 mL of liquid barium. We evaluated the maximum hyoid distance (Max d), anterior and superior distance (Max ad, Max sd). And, we evaluated the maximum velocity (Max v), anterior and superior velocity (Max av, Max sv). Two‐way anova test revealed that Max d, Max ad and Max sd for different bolus volumes are not significantly different. But, two‐way anova test showed statistically significant difference in Max v, Max av and Max sv among different bolus volume (P < 0·01). Tukey's test showed that there are significant differences in Max v between 2·5 and 20 mL, 5·0 and 20 mL, 10 and 20 mL, and 2·5 and 10 mL swallowing. And, Tukey's test showed significant differences in Max av and Max sv between 2·5 and 20 mL, 5·0 and 20 mL, and 10 and 20 mL swallowing. It is possible that a larger bolus volume requires greater maximum hyoid velocity. We plan to study hyoid velocity in elderly subjects and in those with dysphagia.
Effects of experimental occlusal interference on body posture: an optoelectronic stereophotogrammetric analysis
Authors: Marini I. , Gatto M. R. , Bartolucci M. L. , Bortolotti F. , Alessandri Bonetti G. , Michelotti A. 
Published: May 2013

SummaryIn recent years, there has been increasing interest in the relationship between dental occlusion and body posture both among people and in scientific literature. The aim of the present longitudinal study is to investigate the effects of an experimental occlusal interference on body posture by means of a force platform and an optoelectronic stereophotogrammetric analysis. An occlusal interference of a 0‐ to 2‐mm‐thick glass composite was prepared to disturb the intercuspal position while not creating interference during lateral or protrusive mandibular excursions. Frontal and sagittal kinematic parameters, dynamic gait measurements and superficial electromyographic (SEMG) activity of head and neck muscles were performed on 12 healthy subjects. Measurements were taken 10 days before the application of the occlusal interference, and then immediately before the application, the day after it, and at a distance of 7 and 14 days under four different exteroceptive conditions. The outcomes of this study show that an occlusal interference does not modify significantly over time static and dynamic parameters of body posture under different exteroceptive conditions. It has a minimal influence only on the frontal kinematic parameters related to mandibular position, and it induces a transient increase of the activity of masticatory muscles. In this study, the experimental occlusal interference did not significantly influence the body posture during a 14‐day follow‐up period.
Pelvic Floor Muscle Problems Mediate Sexual Problems in Young Adult Rape Victims
Authors: Postma Riemke , Bicanic Iva , van der Vaart Huub , Laan Ellen 
Published: May 2013

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Prior studies have addressed sexual abuse and sexual function in adult women. No studies have focused on the effect of adolescence rape on sexual functioning.

Aim
To investigate the effect of rape on sexual problems and on pelvic floor problems, as well as the mediating role of pelvic floor problems on sexual problems, in a homogenous group of victims of adolescence rape without a history of childhood sexual, physical, and/or emotional abuse.

Main Outcome Measures
Sexual functioning and pelvic floor functioning were assessed using self-report questionnaires.

Methods
In this cross-sectional study, a group of 89 young women aged 18–25 years who were victimized by rape in adolescence was compared with a group of 114 nonvictimized controls. The rape victims were treated for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 3 years prior to participation in the study.

Results
Three years posttreatment, rape victims were 2.4 times more likely to have a sexual dysfunction (lubrication problems and pain) and 2.7 times more likely to have pelvic floor dysfunction (symptoms of provoked vulvodynia, general stress, lower urinary tract, and irritable bowel syndrome) than nonvictimized controls. The relationship between rape and sexual problems was partially mediated by the presence of pelvic floor problems. Rape victims and controls did not differ with regard to sexual activities.

Conclusions
Rape victims suffer significantly more from sexual dysfunction and pelvic floor dysfunction when compared with nontraumatized controls, despite the provision of treatment for PTSD. Possibly, physical manifestations of PTSD have been left unaddressed in treatment. Future treatment protocols should consider incorporating (physical or psychological) treatment strategies for sexual dysfunction and/or pelvic floor dysfunction into trauma exposure treatments.
Healthcare utilization in chronic liver disease: the importance of pain and prescription opioid use
Authors: Rogal Shari S. , Winger Daniel , Bielefeldt Klaus , Rollman Bruce L. , Szigethy Eva 
Published: May 2013

AbstractBackground & AimsThe aim of this study was to assess factors associated with healthcare utilization in patients with chronic liver disease with a focus on pain, opioid use and psychiatric symptoms.MethodsWe retrospectively assessed a consecutive sample of 1286 visitors to a hepatology clinic with chronic liver disease. Baseline psychiatric symptoms, pain and opioid prescriptions were collected. Liver‐related clinic visits, total clinic visits, phone calls and hospitalizations were assessed over a subsequent 6‐month period. Multivariable logistic and negative binomial regression models were used to determine the medical and psychosocial factors associated with increased healthcare utilization.ResultsOver a 6‐month period, hospitalization was more common among patients with pain (13% vs. 7%, P < 0.0001) and opioid usage (18% vs. 6% P < 0.0001). Pain and opioid usage were independently and significantly associated with an increased hospitalizations and median number of clinic visits and phone calls (P < 0.0001). In multivariable modelling, hospitalization was significantly associated with opioid use (OR = 2.72, CI = 1.72, 4.29), Child's Class B (OR = 2.24, CI = 1.19, 4.14) and C (OR = 8.51, CI = 4.18, 17.27) cirrhosis, and cardiopulmonary disease (OR = 2.11, CI = 1.28, 3.41). Pain and opioid usage were independently and significantly associated with the numbers of phone calls and total outpatient visits, as were medical comorbidities and Child's Class. The significant predictors of increased outpatient liver‐related visits were pain (IRR = 1.13, CI = 1.02, 1.26), interferon usage (IRR = 1.75, CI = 1.54, 1.98) and more advanced liver disease (IRR = 1.58, CI = 1.32, 1.88).ConclusionsPain and prescription opioid usage were significantly linked to increased healthcare utilization, suggesting the need to evaluate and incorporate evidence‐based pain management strategies into routine care of patients with chronic liver disease.
Nicotiana attenuata MPK4 suppresses a novel jasmonic acid (JA) signaling‐independent defense pathway against the specialist insect Manduca sexta, but is not required for the resistance to the generalist Spodoptera littoralis
Authors: Hettenhausen Christian , Baldwin Ian T. , Wu Jianqiang 
Published: May 2013

Summary

How plants tailor their defense responses to attack from different insects remains largely unknown. Here, we studied the role of a mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK), MPK4, in the resistance of a wild tobacco Nicotiana attenuata to two herbivores, the specialist Manduca sexta and the generalist Spodoptera littoralis.

Stably transformed N. attenuata plants silenced in MPK4 (irMPK4) were generated and characterized for traits important for defense against herbivores.

Only the oral secretions (OS) from M. sexta, but not the OS from S. littoralis or mechanical wounding, induced elevated levels of jasmonic acid (JA) in irMPK4 plants relative to the wild‐type plants. Moreover, silencing of MPK4 strongly increased the resistance of N. attenuata to M. sexta in a fashion that was independent of COI1 (CORONATINE INSENSITIVE1)‐mediated JA signaling. Untargeted metabolomic screening identified several new MPK4‐dependent putative defensive compounds against M. sexta. By contrast, silencing of MPK4 did not affect the growth of the generalist insect S. littoralis, and we propose that this was because of the very low levels of fatty acid–amino acid conjugates (FACs) in S. littoralis OS.

Thus, MPK4 is likely to be a key signaling element that enables plants to tailor defense responses to different attackers.
OakContigDF159.1, a reference library for studying differential gene expression in Quercus robur during controlled biotic interactions: use for quantitative transcriptomic profiling of oak roots in ectomycorrhizal symbiosis
Authors: Tarkka Mika T. , Herrmann Sylvie , Wubet Tesfaye , Feldhahn Lasse , Recht Sabine , Kurth Florence , Mailänder Sarah , Bönn Markus , Neef Maren , Angay Oguzhan , Bacht Michael , Graf Marcel , Maboreke Hazel , Fleischmann Frank , Grams Thorsten E. E. , Ruess Liliane , Schädler Martin , Brandl Roland , Scheu Stefan , Schrey Silvia D. , Grosse Ivo , Buscot François 
Published: May 2013

Summary

Oaks (Quercus spp.), which are major forest trees in the northern hemisphere, host many biotic interactions, but molecular investigation of these interactions is limited by fragmentary genome data. To date, only 75 oak expressed sequence tags (ESTs) have been characterized in ectomycorrhizal (EM) symbioses.

We synthesized seven beneficial and detrimental biotic interactions between microorganisms and animals and a clone (DF159) of Quercus robur. Sixteen 454 and eight Illumina cDNA libraries from leaves and roots were prepared and merged to establish a reference for RNA‐Seq transcriptomic analysis of oak EMs with Piloderma croceum.

Using the Mimicking Intelligent Read Assembly (MIRA) and Trinity assembler, the OakContigDF159.1 hybrid assembly, containing 65 712 contigs with a mean length of 1003 bp, was constructed, giving broad coverage of metabolic pathways. This allowed us to identify 3018 oak contigs that were differentially expressed in EMs, with genes encoding proline‐rich cell wall proteins and ethylene signalling‐related transcription factors showing up‐regulation while auxin and defence‐related genes were down‐regulated.

In addition to the first report of remorin expression in EMs, the extensive coverage provided by the study permitted detection of differential regulation within large gene families (nitrogen, phosphorus and sugar transporters, aquaporins). This might indicate specific mechanisms of genome regulation in oak EMs compared with other trees.
Immunoprofiling of oral squamous cell carcinomas reveals high p63 and survivin expression
Authors: Lauxen IS , Oliveira MG , Rados PV , Lingen MW , Nör JE , Sant'Ana Filho M 
Published: May 2013

BackgroundCancer is a multifactorial disease composed of cells that show somatic mutations and epigenetic changes. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of proteins involved in the development and maintenance of epithelia, cell cycle regulation, and apoptosis in human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tissue samples.MethodsA tissue microarray containing 65 primary human OSCC specimens was immunolabeled for bcl‐2, survivin, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), p21, p53, p63, and cleaved caspase‐3.ResultsSamples were scored for percentage of positively stained tumor cells and staining intensity. A total immunostaining score was also calculated, using the product of percentage and intensity scores. All specimens showed high scores, > 75%, for p63 and survivin, and 75.4% of the specimens also presented high EGFR expression. All cases showed p53‐positive cells. p21 showed a diffuse staining pattern. The percentage of cells positive for cleaved caspase‐3 and bcl‐2 was low.ConclusionsThe high frequency of tumor cells expressing p63 and survivin highlights the role of these proteins in the malignant transformation of oral epithelium. Collectively, our results suggest that p63 and survivin may constitute attractive targets for cancer therapy in patients with OSCC.