bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Intestinal gas content and distribution in health and in patients with functional gut symptoms
Authors: Bendezú R. A. , Barba E. , Burri E. , Cisternas D. , Malagelada C. , Segui S. , Accarino A. , Quiroga S. , Monclus E. , Navazo I. , Malagelada J.‐R. , Azpiroz F. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractBackgroundThe precise relation of intestinal gas to symptoms, particularly abdominal bloating and distension remains incompletely elucidated. Our aim was to define the normal values of intestinal gas volume and distribution and to identify abnormalities in relation to functional‐type symptoms.MethodsAbdominal computed tomography scans were evaluated in healthy subjects (n = 37) and in patients in three conditions: basal (when they were feeling well;n = 88), during an episode of abdominal distension (n = 82) and after a challenge diet (n = 24). Intestinal gas content and distribution were measured by an original analysis program. Identification of patients outside the normal range was performed by machine learning techniques (one‐class classifier). Results are expressed as median (IQR) or mean ± SE, as appropriate.Key ResultsIn healthy subjects the gut contained 95 (71, 141) mL gas distributed along the entire lumen. No differences were detected between patients studied under asymptomatic basal conditions and healthy subjects. However, either during a spontaneous bloating episode or once challenged with a flatulogenic diet, luminal gas was found to be increased and/or abnormally distributed in about one‐fourth of the patients. These patients detected outside the normal range by the classifier exhibited a significantly greater number of abnormal features than those within the normal range (3.7 ± 0.4vs0.4 ± 0.1;p < 0.001).Conclusions & InferencesThe analysis of a large cohort of subjects using original techniques provides unique and heretofore unavailable information on the volume and distribution of intestinal gas in normal conditions and in relation to functional gastrointestinal symptoms.
Pathophysiology of hypertension in obese children: a systematic review
Authors: Wirix A. J. G. , Kaspers P. J. , Nauta J. , Chinapaw M. J. M. , Kist‐van Holthe J. E. 
Published: June 2015

SummaryHypertension is increasingly common in overweight and obese children. The mechanisms behind the development of hypertension in obesity are complex, and evidence is limited. In order to effectively treat obese children for hypertension, it is important to have a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of hypertension in obese children. The present review summarizes the main factors associated with hypertension in obese children and discusses their potential role in its pathophysiology. Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed and EMBASE for articles published up to October 2014. In total, 60 relevant studies were included. The methodological quality of the included studies ranged from weak to strong. Several factors important in the development of hypertension in obese children have been suggested, including endocrine determinants, such as corticosteroids and adipokines, sympathetic nervous system activity, disturbed sodium homeostasis, as well as oxidative stress, inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. Understanding the pathophysiology of hypertension in overweight and obese children is important and could have implications for its screening and treatment. Based on solely cross‐sectional observational studies, it is impossible to infer causality. Longitudinal studies of high methodological quality are needed to gain more insight into the complex mechanisms behind the development of hypertension in obese children.
A methodological approach for evaluation of foveal immaturity after extremely preterm birth
Authors: Rosén Rebecka , Sjöstrand Johan , Nilsson Maria , Hellgren Kerstin 
Published: June 2015

AbstractPurposeTo characterize typical microanatomical alterations of immaturity in the fovea, that remain into childhood, after extremely preterm birth before 27 weeks gestational age (GA) and to suggest a clinical methodological evaluation tool.MethodsSubjects were consecutively recruited at age 6.5 years and organized in four groups (10 subjects in each): Group A (full‐term), Group B (GA 25–27 weeks) without retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), Group B* (GA 25–27 weeks) and Group C (GA 23–24 weeks) both with ROP stage 3. Foveal microanatomy was studied using a grading system of OCT‐scans.ResultsPrematurely born children (including Group B, B* and C) had significantly reduced foveal depth (mean difference −53 μm, p < 0.001), thicker inner retinal layer (mean difference 21.6, p = 0.005) and thicker outer nuclear layer (mean difference 23.5, p < 0.001) than controls. Foveal depth and inner retinal layer thickness were significantly correlated to GA (p = 0.003 and p = 0.017 respectively) within the preterm group. Foveal depth increased with 14.1 μm per week between GA 23 and 27. The three hyper reflective bands of the outer segments as well as a central protuberance of inner and outer segment layers were present in all children.ConclusionPrevious studies have revealed signs of immaturity affecting most retinal layers at time of birth in prematurely born children. The present study adds information to which extent these signs of underdevelopment remains to later in life. The applied method showed that premature birth before GA 27 weeks commonly leads to characteristic anatomical alterations of the foveal anatomy expressed as reduced foveal depth and incomplete extrusion of the inner retinal layers. Although deviations of the outer nuclear layers can be seen in the most extremely preterm born children, the outer part of the fovea generally develops well, independent of prematurity. The single most important determinant for the degree of foveal maturation seems to be GA.
The short‐term accommodation response to aniso‐accommodative stimuli in isometropia
Authors: Vincent Stephen J. , Collins Michael J. , Read Scott A. , Ghosh Atanu , Chen Christine , Lam Anthony , Sahota Sonya , Vo Rebecca 
Published: June 2015

AbstractPurposeThere have been only a limited number of studies examining the accommodative response that occurs when the two eyes are provided with disparate accommodative stimuli, and the results from these studies to date have been equivocal. In this study, we therefore aimed to examine the capacity of the visual system to aniso‐accommodate by objectively measuring the interocular difference in the accommodation response between fellow dominant and non‐dominant eyes under controlled monocular and binocular viewing conditions during short‐term exposure to aniso‐accommodative stimuli.MethodsThe accommodative response of each eye of 16 young isometropic adults (mean age 22 ± 2 years) with normal binocular vision was measured using an open‐field autorefractor during a range of testing conditions; monocularly (accommodative demands ranging from 1.32 to 4.55 D) and binocularly while altering the accommodation demand for each eye (aniso‐accommodative stimuli ranging from 0.24 to 2.05 D).ResultsUnder monocular viewing conditions, the dominant and non‐dominant eyes displayed a highly symmetric accommodative response; mean interocular difference in spherical equivalent 0.01 ± 0.06 D (relative) and 0.22 ± 0.06 D (absolute) (p > 0.05). During binocular viewing, the dominant eye displayed a greater accommodative response (0.11 ± 0.34 D relative and 0.24 ± 0.26 D absolute) irrespective of whether the demand of the dominant or non‐dominant eye was altered (p = 0.01). Astigmatic power vectors J0 and J45 did not vary between eyes or with increasing accommodation demands under monocular or binocular viewing conditions (p > 0.05).ConclusionThe dominant and non‐dominant eyes of young isometropic individuals display a similar consensual lag of accommodation under both monocular and binocular viewing conditions, with the dominant eye showing a small but significantly greater (by 0.12–0.25 D) accommodative response. Evidence of short‐term aniso‐accommodation in response to asymmetric accommodation demands was not observed.
Attitudes toward Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: A Nationwide Survey among Danish Cardiologists
Authors: VADMANN HENRIK , PEDERSEN SUSANNE S. , NIELSEN JENS COSEDIS , RODRIGO‐DOMINGO MARIA , PEHRSON STEEN , JOHANNESSEN ARNE , HANSEN PETER STEEN , JOHANSEN JENS BROCK , RIAHI SAM 
Published: June 2015

BackgroundCatheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important but expensive procedure that is the subject of some debate. Physicians’ attitudes toward catheter ablation may influence promotion and patient acceptance. This is the first study to examine the attitudes of Danish cardiologists toward catheter ablation for AF, using a nationwide survey.Methods and ResultsWe developed a purpose‐designed questionnaire to evaluate attitudes toward catheter ablation for AF that was sent to all Danish cardiologists (n = 401; response n = 272 (67.8%)). There was no association between attitudes toward ablation and the experience or age of the cardiologist with respect to patients with recurrent AF episodes with a duration of <48 hours or >7 days and/or need for cardioversion. The majority (69%) expected a recurrence of AF after catheter ablation in more than 30% of the cases. For patients with persistent longstanding AF with a duration of >1 year, the attitude toward ablation for longstanding AF was more likely to be positive with increasing age (P < 0.01) and years of experience of the cardiologist (P = 0.002).ConclusionsDanish cardiologists generally have a positive attitude toward catheter ablation for AF, maintain up‐to‐date knowledge of the procedure, and are aware what information on ablation treatment should be given to patients with AF. The cardiologists had a positive attitude toward ablation for AF in patients with AF episodes <48 hours and patients with episodes >7 days, or those who needed medical/electrical conversion, but a more negative attitude toward treating longstanding AF patients.
Evaluation of genomic approaches for marker‐based improvement of lodging tolerance in triticale
Authors: Liu Wenxin , Leiser Willmar L. , Maurer Hans Peter , Li Junhui , Weissmann Sigrid , Hahn Volker , Würschum Tobias 
Published: June 2015

AbstractLodging tolerance is an important agronomic trait as it can have a severe negative impact on grain yield and quality. Here, we used a large mapping population of 647 doubled haploid triticale lines derived from four families to dissect the genetic architecture underlying lodging tolerance and to assess different approaches for a genomics‐based improvement of the trait. The plants were evaluated for lodging in two environments and genotyped with 1710 genomewide DArT markers. We observed a large genotypic variation for lodging and transgressive segregation in all families. Employing two complementary QTL mapping approaches, we identified both main effect and epistatic QTL. Using cross‐validation, we showed that the proportion of genotypic variance explained by the detected QTL is low, thus limiting the efficiency of marker‐assisted selection to improve this trait. By contrast, the cross‐validated predictive ability of genomic prediction was approximately twice as high as that of the QTL‐based selection approaches. In conclusion, our results show that lodging tolerance is a complex trait that can be improved by classical breeding but also assisted by marker‐based approaches.
Revisiting the status of oral health services in adult PM&R programs: a 40‐year follow‐up survey
Authors: Katz Ralph V , Tillman Hilde H , Bloch Rina M , Stojanovic Maria , Kaira Akanksha 
Published: June 2015

ABSTRACTPurposeThis survey compared the status of oral health service access and needs for adult Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) patients over a 40‐year period.MethodsThis report compares two surveys (1974 vs. 2014) of Directors of PM&R residency programs in the United States. The same 14 survey questions used in 1974 survey were repeated in 2014, with four new questions added.ResultsThe major comparative findings about oral health services were that while perceived need remained high and availability and adequacy of dental care remained low, program directors indicated a slightly lessened desirability, feasibility and overall support for the concept of integrating oral health services into their PM&R program in the 2014 survey.ConclusionThese findings show that 40 years has not brought better access to oral health care for adult PM&R patients, only a slightly lessened enthusiasm in the program directors. Future research should explore the reasons underlying these disappointing outcomes.
Association of HLA‐DQA1 and ‐DQB1 alleles with type I diabetes in Arabs: a meta‐analyses
Authors: Hamzeh A. R. , Nair P. , Al‐Khaja N. , Al Ali M. T. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractThis study aimed at assessing the nature and significance of associations between various alleles of HLA‐DQA1, HLA‐DQB1, and type I diabetes (T1D) in Arab populations. Evidence from literature (published before 20 April 2015) was amassed and analysed through multiple meta‐analyses, which yielded effect summary odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for 24 alleles and 4 haplotypes. A total of 1273 cases and 1747 controls from 16 studies were analysed. High levels of significance were obtained to support higher T1D risk when harbouring DQA1*03:01. The alleles DQB1*02:01 and *03:02 and the haplotypes DR3 and DR4 were significant risk factors, albeit with high publication heterogeneity. The protective effects of DQA1*01:01, DQB1*05:03, *06:02, *06:03, and *06:04 were robustly suggested by all indicators of meta‐analyses. The haplotypes DR7 and DR11 were strongly suggested to be protective in Arabs. A relatively small number of studies have emerged from Arab countries, mostly with inadequate power on an individual basis. This study fills the gap by providing significant size effect of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles and completes the continuum of global ethnic differences in this context.
Renitrosylation of banked human red blood cells improves deformability and reduces adhesivity
Authors: Riccio Daniel A. , Zhu Hongmei , Foster Matthew W. , Huang Brendan , Hofmann Christina L. , Palmer Gregory M. , McMahon Tim J. 
Published: June 2015

BACKGROUNDTransfusion of red blood cells (RBCs) is a frequent health care practice. However, unfavorable consequences may occur from transfusions of stored RBCs and are associated with RBC changes during storage. Loss of S‐nitrosohemoglobin (SNO‐Hb) and other S‐nitrosothiols (SNOs) during storage is implicated as a detriment to transfusion efficacy. It was hypothesized that restoring SNOs within banked RBCs would improve RBC functions relevant to successful transfusion outcomes, namely, increased deformability and decreased adhesivity.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSStored human RBCs were incubated with nitric oxide (NO) donors PROLI/NO and DEA/NO (disodium 1‐[2‐(carboxylato)‐pyrrolidin‐1‐yl]diazen‐1‐ium‐1,2‐diolate and diethylammonium (Z)‐1‐(N,N‐diethylamino)diazen‐1‐ium‐1,2‐diolate) under varying experimental conditions (e.g., aerobic/anaerobic incubation, NO donor to RBC ratio). SNO restoration was evaluated in vitro and in vivo as a means to improve RBC function after storage.RESULTSIncubation of RBCs with the NO donors resulted in 10‐fold greater levels of SNO‐Hb versus untreated control or sham RBCs, with significantly higher Hb‐bound NO yields from an NO dose delivered by DEA/NO. RBC incubation with DEA/NO at a stoichiometry of 1:62.5 NO:Hb significantly increased RBC deformabilty and reduced adhesion to cultured endothelial cells. RBC incubation with DEA/NO also increased S‐nitrosylation of RBC cytoskeletal and membrane proteins, including the β‐spectrin chain. Renitrosylation attenuated both RBC sequestration in the lung and the mild blood oxygen saturation impairments seen with banked RBCs in a mouse model of transfusion.CONCLUSIONSRBC renitrosylation using NO donors has promise for correcting deficient properties (e.g., adhesivity, rigidity, and SNO loss) of banked RBCs and in turn improving transfusion outcomes.
GMctdospp: Description and validation of a CT dose calculation system
Authors: Schmidt Ralph , Wulff Jörg , Zink Klemens 
Published: June 2015

Purpose:To develop a Monte Carlo (MC)‐based computed tomography (CT) dose estimation method with a graphical user interface with options to define almost arbitrary simulation scenarios, to make calculations sufficiently fast for comfortable handling, and to make the software free of charge for general availability to the scientific community.Methods:A framework called GMctdospp was developed to calculate phantom and patient doses with the MC method based on the EGSnrc system. A CT scanner was modeled for testing and was adapted to half‐value layer, beam‐shaping filter, z‐profile, and tube‐current modulation (TCM). To validate the implemented variance reduction techniques, depth‐dose and cross‐profile calculations of a static beam were compared against DOSXYZnrc/EGSnrc. Measurements for beam energies of 80 and 120 kVp at several positions of a CT dose‐index (CTDI) standard phantom were compared against calculations of the created CT model. Finally, the efficiency of the adapted code was benchmarked against EGSnrc defaults.Results:The CT scanner could be modeled accurately. The developed TCM scheme was confirmed by the dose measurement. A comparison of calculations to DOSXYZnrc showed no systematic differences. Measurements in a CTDI phantom could be reproduced within 2% average, with a maximal difference of about 6%. Efficiency improvements of about six orders of magnitude were observed for larger organ structures of a chest‐examination protocol in a voxelized phantom. In these cases, simulations took 25 s to achieve a statistical uncertainty of ∼0.5%.Conclusions:A fast dose‐calculation system for phantoms and patients in a CT examination was developed, successfully validated, and benchmarked. Influences of scan protocols, protection method, and other issues can be easily examined with the developed framework.
Gravity Wave–Induced Anomalous Potential Vorticity Gradient Generating Planetary Waves in the Winter Mesosphere
Authors: Sato Kaoru , Nomoto Masahiro 
Published: June 2015

Abstract
This study shows that gravity wave (GW) forcing (GWF) plays a crucial role in the barotropic/baroclinic instability that is frequently observed in the mesosphere and considered an origin of planetary waves (PWs) such as quasi-2-day and quasi-4-day waves. Simulation data from a GW-resolving general circulation model were analyzed, focusing on the winter Northern Hemisphere where PWs are active. The unstable field is characterized by a significant potential vorticity (PV) maximum with an anomalous latitudinal gradient at higher latitudes that suddenly appears in the midlatitudes of the upper mesosphere. This PV maximum is attributed to an enhanced static stability that develops through the following two processes: 1) strong PWs from the troposphere break in the middle stratosphere, causing a poleward and downward shift of the westerly jet to higher latitudes, and 2) strong GWF located above the jet simultaneously shifts and forms an upwelling in the midlatitudes, causing a significant increase in . An interesting feature is that the PV maximum is not zonally uniform but is observed only at longitudes with strong GWF. This longitudinally dependent GWF can be explained by selective filtering in the stratospheric mean flow modified by strong PWs. In the upper mesosphere, the Eliassen–Palm flux divergence by PWs has a characteristic structure, which is positive poleward and negative equatorward of the enhanced PV maximum, attributable to eastward- and westward-propagating PWs, respectively. This fact suggests that the barotropic/baroclinic instability is eliminated by simultaneous generation of eastward and westward PWs causing PV flux divergence.
Basin-Wavelength Equatorial Deep Jet Signals across Three Oceans
Authors: Youngs Madeleine K. , Johnson Gregory C. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractEquatorial deep jets (EDJs) are equatorially trapped, stacked, zonal currents that reverse direction every few hundred meters in depth throughout much of the water column. This study evaluates their structure observationally in all three oceans using new high-vertical-resolution Argo float conductivity–temperature–depth (CTD) instrument profiles from 2010 to 2014 augmented with historical shipboard CTD data from 1972 to 2014 and lower-vertical-resolution Argo float profiles from 2007 to 2014. The vertical strain of density is calculated from the profiles and analyzed in a stretched vertical coordinate system determined from the mean vertical density structure. The power spectra of vertical strain in each basin are analyzed using wavelet decomposition. In the Indian and Pacific Oceans, there are two distinct peaks in the power spectra, one Kelvin wave–like and the other entirely consistent with the dispersion relation of a linear, first meridional mode, equatorial Rossby wave. In the Atlantic Ocean, the first meridional mode Rossby wave signature is very strong and dominates. In all three ocean basins, Rossby wave–like signatures are coherent across the basin width and appear to have wavelengths the scale of the basin width, with periods of about 5 yr in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans and about 12 yr in the Pacific Ocean. Their observed meridional scales are about 1.5 times the linear theoretical values. Their phase propagation is downward with time, implying upward energy propagation if linear wave dynamics hold.
Pediatric Palliative Care Pilot Curriculum
Authors: Barnett Michael D. , Maurer Scott H. , Wood Gordon J. 
Published: June 2015

Background: Prior research has shown that less than 40% of pediatric program directors believe their graduating residents competent in palliative care. While many curricula have been developed to address this need, few have demonstrated improved comfort and/or knowledge with palliative care principles. The purpose of this study was to test a pocket card educational intervention regarding resident knowledge and comfort with palliative care principles. Methods: Pocket reference cards were created to deliver fundamentals of pediatric palliative care to resident learners; didactics and case studies emphasized principles on the cards. Self-reported comfort and objective knowledge were measured before and after the curriculum among residents. Results: Of 32 post-graduate year 2 (PGY2) residents, 23 (72%) completed the pre-test survey. The post-test was completed by 14 PGY2 residents (44%) and 16 of 39 PGY3/4 residents (41%). There was improvement in comfort with communication, as well as pain and symptom management among the residents. Knowledge of palliative care principles improved in part, with only a few survey questions reaching statistical significance. 100% of respondents recommended the cards be provided to their colleagues. Conclusion: This longitudinal curriculum, designed specifically for pediatric residents, was built into an existing training program and proved to be popular, feasible, and effective at improving comfort with basic palliative care principles.