bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Usefulness of specific anti‐desmoglein 1 and 3 enzyme‐linked immunoassay and indirect immunofluorescence in the evaluation of pemphigus activity
Authors: Barnadas Maria A. , Rubiales Mª Victòria , Gich Ignasi , Gelpí Carmen 
Published: March 2015

AbstractObjectiveThe objective was to assess the relationship between enzyme‐linked immunoassay (ELISA) values of desmoglein (Dsg) 1 and Dsg3 antibodies and indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) values of anti‐epithelial antibodies with disease activity in patients with pemphigus.Patients and methodsIn a retrospective study, we analyzed 353 serum samples taken from 35 patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and nine with pemphigus foliaceus (PF) during the course of the disease. In each sample, we measured anti‐Dsg1 and anti‐Dsg3 antibodies by ELISA. A receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was calculated to determine a cutoff value for anti‐Dsg1 and anti‐Dsg3 antibodies with optimal sensitivity and specificity. In 263 samples, we compared the ROC curves of anti‐Dsg1 and anti‐Dsg3 antibodies with the ROC curves of the IIF results.ResultsActivity of pemphigus was associated with a wide range of anti‐Dsg1 and anti‐Dsg3 antibody values. Levels of anti‐Dsg1 antibodies showed a better relationship with cutaneous activity of pemphigus than levels of IIF anti‐epithelial antibodies. The levels of IIF anti‐epithelial antibodies showed a relationship with activity of mucosas similar to the levels of anti‐Dsg3 antibodies.DiscussionAbnormal values of anti‐Dsg antibodies are not always associated with disease activity. ELISA detects both pathogenic and nonpathogenic anti‐Dsg antibodies.ConclusionsTherapeutic strategies should not be based exclusively on anti‐Dsg antibody values. Anti‐Dsg1 antibodies showed a closer relationship with skin activity than IIF, while anti‐Dsg3 antibodies showed a relationship with mucosal activity similar to the IIF test.
Moral distress among social workers: The role of insufficient resources
Authors: Mänttäri‐van der Kuip Maija 
Published: March 2015

The present study examined moral distress among Finnish social workers and the role of perceived resource insufficiencies in explaining it. The aim was to shed light on this understudied phenomenon in the field of social welfare. The study focused on work‐related moral distress, defined as impaired wellbeing that is connected to the continual inability to implement actions that one considers morally appropriate. The survey data were collected with an electronic questionnaire between the years 2011 and 2012. The respondents (n = 817) were social workers in the public social welfare services and the overall response rate was 46.5 per cent. Nearly 11 per cent of the respondents reported experiencing moral distress and perceived resource insufficiencies strongly explained this experience. Moreover, social workers with moral distress reported that they were less willing to continue in their post, were more frequently on sick leave and had positive work‐related experiences less often than their colleagues who did not experience moral distress.Key Practitioner Message: ● The concept of moral distress is useful in describing the experiences of social welfare workers when they are unable to practise their profession according to their moral code and the emotional burden related to this inability; ● Perceived resource insufficiencies are strongly associated with experiences of moral distress among frontline social workers; ● Social workers experiencing moral distress are less willing to continue in their work, take sick leave more often and less frequently have positive experiences related to their work.
Miocene extensional tectonics explain ancient patterns of diversification among turret‐building tarantulas (Aphonopelma mojave group) in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts
Authors: Graham Matthew R. , Hendrixson Brent E. , Hamilton Chris A. , Bond Jason E. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractAimPhylogeographical studies in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts often find genetic discontinuities that pre‐date the Pleistocene. A recent synthesis of phylogeographical data, called the Mojave Assembly Model, provides a hypothesis for the historical assembly of these desert biotas but does not adequately capture the complexity of pre‐Pleistocene vicariance events. We tested this model and assessed pre‐Pleistocene divergences by exploring the phylogeography of the Aphonopelma mojave group, which is composed of turret‐building tarantula species from the Mojave and Sonoran deserts.LocationMojave and Sonoran deserts, south‐western USA.MethodsWe augmented the sampling from a previous study by sequencing mitochondrial DNA (COI) from new material of the A. mojave group. We used phylogenetic and network analyses to identify clades and a molecular clock and lineages‐through‐time plots (LTT plots) to explore the timing and tempo of diversification. We tested for demographic expansion using neutrality tests and mismatch distributions. Species distribution models (SDMs) were constructed to compare current suitable habitat to that at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM).ResultsPhylogenetic, network and molecular‐clock analyses identified six major clades that probably diverged during the late Miocene. The rate of diversification appears to have slowed during the Pliocene. Most clades exhibit signals of recent demographic expansion. SDMs predicted that suitable habitat shifted south and to lower elevations during the LGM.Main conclusionsPhylogeographical analyses suggest that the A. mojave group experienced a burst of diversification in the late Miocene, followed by population expansions during the Pleistocene. Six major clades with origins in the late Miocene cannot be adequately explained by the Mojave Assembly Model. We propose the novel hypothesis that Miocene extensional tectonics caused populations to diverge in allopatry by producing low‐elevation habitat barriers. Geological models, such as kinematic reconstructions, provide an ideal but underutilized framework for testing biogeographical hypotheses in these deserts and the wider Basin and Range Province.
Current status of glucose, blood pressure and lipid management in type 2 diabetes clinic attendees in Isfahan, Iran
Authors: Janghorbani Mohsen , Papi Bahman , Amini Masoud 
Published: March 2015

AbstractAims/IntroductionTo estimate the prevalence of meeting American Diabetes Association clinical practice recommendations for hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure (BP) and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) among Iranian type 2 diabetes clinic attendees, and to identify the factors associated with therapeutic target achievement.Materials and MethodsA total of 2,640 patients with type 2 diabetes (944 men and 1,696 women) from Isfahan Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center outpatient clinics, Iran, were examined. The main outcome measures were HbA1c, BP and LDLC, in accordance with the American Diabetes Association recommendations. The mean (standard deviation) age of participants was 49.6 years (9.3 years) with a mean (standard deviation) duration of diabetes of 5.0 years (4.9 years) at initial registration.ResultsThe percentages of patients who had HbA1c <7%, BP <140/90 mmHg and LDLC <100 mg/dL was 37.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 35.6–39.3), 35.3% (95% CI 33.5–37.3) and 48.9% (95% CI 47.0–50.8), respectively. The proportion of patients meeting all three goals was 7.7% (95% CI 6.7–8.8). Lower BP, cholesterol level and higher education at registration, and higher follow up but lower number of follow‐up visits affected achievement of all three goals.ConclusionsThe present study highlights that a substantial proportion of Iranian type 2 diabetes clinic attendees did not meet the American Diabetes Association clinical practice recommendations, and shows the difficult challenges physicians face when treating patients with type 2 diabetes.
The Role of Intervening Illnesses and Injuries in Prolonging the Disabling Process
Authors: Gill Thomas M. , Allore Heather G. , Gahbauer Evelyne A. , Murphy Terrence E. 
Published: March 2015

ObjectivesTo evaluate the relationship between intervening illnesses and injuries leading to hospitalization and restricted activity, respectively, and prolongation of disability in four essential activities of daily living in newly disabled older persons.DesignProspective cohort study.SettingGreater New Haven, Connecticut.ParticipantsCommunity‐living persons aged 70 and older who had at least one episode of disability from March 1998 to June 2013 (N = 632).MeasurementsDisability and exposure to intervening illesses and injuries leading to hospitalization and restricted activity, respectively, were assessed every month. Prolongation of disability was operationalized in two complementary ways: as a dichotomous outcome, based on the persistence of any disability, and as a count of the number of disabled activities.ResultsDuring a median follow‐up of 114 months, the 632 participants experienced 2,764 disability episodes. The mean exposure rates for hospitalization and restricted activity were 80.7 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 73.7–88.4) and 173.6 (95% CI = 162.5–185.5), respectively, per 1,000 person‐months. After adjustment for multiple disability risk factors, the likelihood of disability prolongation was 2.5 times as great (odds ratio (OR) 2.54, 95% CI = 2.05–3.15) for hospitalization and 1.2 times as great (1.21, 95% CI = 1.06–1.40) for restricted activity as for no hospitalization or restricted activity, and the mean number of disabilities was 35% (risk ratio (RR) = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.30–1.39) greater in the setting of hospitalization and 7% (1.07, 95% CI = 1.05–1.09) greater in the setting of restricted activity.ConclusionIntervening illnesses and injuries leading to hospitalization and restricted activity, respectively, are strongly associated with prolongation of disability in newly disabled older adults. Efforts to prevent and more‐aggressively manage these intervening events have the potential to break the cycle of disability in older persons.
Activated expression of AtEDT1/HDG11 promotes lateral root formation in Arabidopsis mutant edt1 by upregulating jasmonate biosynthesis
Authors: Cai Xiao‐Teng , Xu Ping , Wang Yao , Xiang Cheng‐Bin 
Published: March 2015

AbstractRoot architecture is crucial for plants to absorb water and nutrients. We previously reported edt1 (edt1D) mutant with altered root architecture that contributes significantly to drought resistance. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood. Here we report one of the mechanisms underlying EDT1/HDG11‐conferred altered root architecture. Root transcriptome comparison between the wild type and edt1D revealed that the upregulated genes involved in jasmonate biosynthesis and signaling pathway were enriched in edt1D root, which were confirmed by quantitative RT‐PCR. Further analysis showed that EDT1/HDG11, as a transcription factor, bound directly to the HD binding sites in the promoters of AOS, AOC3, OPR3, and OPCL1, which encode four key enzymes in JA biosynthesis. We found that the jasmonic acid level was significantly elevated in edt1D root compared with that in the wild type subsequently. In addition, more auxin accumulation was observed in the lateral root primordium of edt1D compared with that of wild type. Genetic analysis of edt1D opcl1 double mutant also showed that HDG11 was partially dependent on JA in regulating LR formation. Taken together, overexpression of EDT1/HDG11 increases JA level in the root of edt1D by directly upregulating the expressions of several genes encoding JA biosynthesis enzymes to activate auxin signaling and promote lateral root formation.
Overexpression of potato miR482e enhanced plant sensitivity to Verticillium dahliae infection
Authors: Yang Liu , Mu Xiaoying , Liu Chao , Cai Jinghui , Shi Ke , Zhu Wenjiao , Yang Qing 
Published: March 2015

AbstractVerticillium wilt of potato is caused by the fungus pathogen Verticillium dahliae. Present sRNA sequencing data revealed that miR482 was in response to V. dahliae infection, but the function in potato is elusive. Here, we characterized potato miR482 family and its putative role resistance to Verticillium wilt. Members of the potato miR482 superfamily are variable in sequence, but all variants target a class of disease‐resistance proteins with nucleotide binding site (NBS) and leucine‐rich repeat (LRR) motifs. When potato plantlets were infected with V. dahliae, the expression level of miR482e was downregulated, and that of several NBS‐LRR targets of miR482e were upregulated. Transgenic potato plantlets overexpressing miR482e showed hypersensitivity to V. dahliae infection. Using sRNA and degradome datasets, we validated that miR482e targets mRNAs of NBS‐LRR disease‐resistance proteins and triggers the production of trans‐acting (ta)‐siRNAs, most of which target mRNAs of defense‐related proteins. Thus, the hypersensitivity of transgenic potato could be explained by enhanced miR482e and miR482e‐derived ta‐siRNA‐mediated silencing on NBS‐LRR‐disease‐resistance proteins. It is speculated that a miR482‐mediated silencing cascade mechanism is involved in regulating potato resistance against V. dahliae infection and could be a counter defense action of plant in response to pathogen infection.
Center of Excellence to Build Nursing Scholarship and Improve Health Care in Italy
Authors: Rocco Gennaro , Affonso Dyanne , Mayberry Linda , Sasso Loredana , Stievano Alessandro , Alvaro Rosaria 
Published: March 2015

AbstractPurposeThis article profiles the establishment and initial phase (2010–2014) of a Center of Excellence (CoE) as an instrument to strengthen nursing scholarship and improve health care in Italy.ApproachThis CoE is unique as a non‐university‐based center. The National Regulatory Board of Registered Nurses, Health Visitors, and Pediatric Nurses (IPASVI) designated substantial administrative and funding support to the CoE for advancing nursing education, clinical practice, research development, and research training. Boyer's Model of Scholarship underpinned the CoE's conceptual framework, and its operational infrastructure was adapted from the U.S. National Institutes of Health P20 program award mechanism. Diverse methods included sponsoring research studies by nurse‐led teams, research training courses, nursing education longitudinal studies, evidence‐based practice training, and related pilot studies.FindingsMultiple collaborative projects were conducted via the CoE in conjunction with the successful launch of an expansive digital library and communication system accessible to nurses. The introduction of English proficiency courses was also a unique contribution.ConclusionsThe CoE concept is a potential instrument to strengthen nursing scholarship in Italy with potential scalability considerations to other global settings.Clinical RelevanceAn overlapping focus on research, education, and practice under the umbrella of nursing scholarship within a CoE while engaging all levels of nursing is important to impact healthcare changes.
‘Being a conduit’ between hospital and home: stakeholders' views and perceptions of a nurse‐led Palliative Care Discharge Facilitator Service in an acute hospital setting
Authors: Venkatasalu Munikumar Ramasamy , Clarke Amanda , Atkinson Joanne 
Published: March 2015

Aims and objectivesTo explore and critically examine stakeholders' views and perceptions concerning the nurse‐led Palliative Care Discharge Service in an acute hospital setting and to inform sustainability, service development and future service configuration.BackgroundThe drive in policy and practice is to enable individuals to achieve their preferred place of care during their last days of life. However, most people in UK die in acute hospital settings against their wishes. To facilitate individuals' preferred place of care, a large acute hospital in northeast England implemented a pilot project to establish a nurse‐led Macmillan Palliative Care Discharge Facilitator Service.DesignA pluralistic evaluation design using qualitative methods was used to seek stakeholders' views and perceptions of this service.MethodsIn total, 12 participants (five bereaved carers and seven health professionals) participated in the evaluation. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with bereaved carers who used this service for their relatives. A focus group and an individual interview were undertaken with health professionals who had used the service since its inception. Individual interviews were also conducted with the Discharge Facilitator and service manager. Analysis of all data was guided by Framework Analysis.ResultsFour key themes emerged relating to the role of the Discharge Facilitator Service: achieving preferred place of care; the Discharge Facilitator as the ‘conduit’ between hospital and community settings; delays in hospital discharge and stakeholders' perceptions of the way forward for the service.ConclusionThe Discharge Facilitator Service acted as a reliable resource and support for facilitating the fast‐tracking of end‐of‐life patients to their preferred place of care.Relevance to clinical practiceFuture planning for hospital‐based palliative care discharge facilitating services need to consider incorporating strategies that include: increased profile of the service, expansion of service provision and the Discharge Facilitator's earlier involvement in the discharge process.
Hopelessly Devoted? Relationship Quality During and After Incarceration
Authors: Turney Kristin 
Published: March 2015

AbstractA growing literature highlights the multifaceted consequences of incarceration for family life, but little is known about the quality of relationships between couples who remain together during and after 1 partner's incarceration. In this article, the author used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 1,848), a longitudinal cohort of parents, to consider the association between paternal incarceration and 4 measures of relationship quality: (a) overall relationship quality, (b) supportiveness, (c) emotional abuse, and (d) physical abuse. The results showed that paternal incarceration in the past 2 years was, by and large, associated with lower mother‐reported (but not father‐reported) relationship quality. However, across some outcome variables, current paternal incarceration was positively associated with relationship quality. Taken together, these findings suggest that current and recent incarceration have countervailing consequences for relationship quality and, more generally, that the penal system exerts a powerful influence even among couples who maintain relationships.
Melatonin reduces oxidative stress and improves vascular function in pulmonary hypertensive newborn sheep
Authors: Torres Flavio , González‐Candia Alejandro , Montt Camilo , Ebensperger Germán , Chubretovic Magdalena , Serón‐Ferré María , Reyes Roberto V. , Llanos Aníbal J. , Herrera Emilio A. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractPulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PHN) constitutes a critical condition with severe cardiovascular and neurological consequences. One of its main causes is hypoxia during gestation, and thus, it is a public health concern in populations living above 2500 m. Although some mechanisms are recognized, the pathophysiological facts that lead to PHN are not fully understood, which explains the lack of an effective treatment. Oxidative stress is one of the proposed mechanisms inducing pulmonary vascular dysfunction and PHN. Therefore, we assessed whether melatonin, a potent antioxidant, improves pulmonary vascular function. Twelve newborn sheep were gestated, born, and raised at 3600 meters. At 3 days old, lambs were catheterized and daily cardiovascular measurements were recorded. Lambs were divided into two groups, one received daily vehicle as control and another received daily melatonin (1 mg/kg/d), for 8 days. At 11 days old, lung tissue and small pulmonary arteries (SPA) were collected. Melatonin decreased pulmonary pressure and resistance for the first 3 days of treatment. Further, melatonin significantly improved the vasodilator function of SPA, enhancing the endothelial‐ and muscular‐dependent pathways. This was associated with an enhanced nitric oxide‐dependent and nitric oxide independent vasodilator components and with increased nitric oxide bioavailability in lung tissue. Further, melatonin reduced the pulmonary oxidative stress markers and increased enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity. Finally, these effects were associated with an increase of lumen diameter and a mild decrease in the wall of the pulmonary arteries. These outcomes support the use of melatonin as an adjuvant in the treatment for PHN.
Spatial distribution of crustaceans associated with shallow soft‐bottom habitats in a coral reef lagoon
Authors: Navarro‐Barranco Carlos , Guerra‐García José M. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe ecology and diversity of the shallow soft‐bottom areas adjacent to coral reefs are still poorly known. To date, the few studies conducted in these habitats dealing with macroinvertebrate fauna have focused on their abundance spatial patterns at high taxonomic levels. Thus, some aspects important to evaluate the importance and vulnerability of these habitats, such as species diversity or the degree of habitat specialization, have often been overlooked. In this study we compared the crustacean assemblages present in four different habitats at Magoodhoo Island coral reef lagoon (Maldives): coral rubble, sandy areas and two different seagrass species (Thalassia hemprichii and Cymodocea sp.). Forty‐two different crustacean species belonging to 30 families and four orders were found. ‘Site’ was a significant factor in all of the statistical analyses, indicating that tropical soft‐bottom habitats can be highly heterogeneous, even at a spatial scale between tens and hundreds of meters. Although traditionally it has been considered that seagrass beds host greater species diversity and abundance of organisms than adjacent unvegetated habitats, no differences in the univariate measures of fauna (abundance of organisms, number of species and Shannon diversity) were observed among habitats. However, sandy areas, coral rubble and seagrass beds exhibited different species composition of crustacean communities. The percentage of taxa considered as potential habitat specialists was 27% and the number of species exclusively occurring in one habitat was especially high in seagrass beds. Thus, degradation of this vegetated habitat would result in a great loss of biodiversity in tropical shallow soft‐bottom habitats.
Healthy eating for 1–3 year‐olds: A food‐based guide
Authors: Benelam B. , Gibson‐Moore H. , Stanner S. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractThe UK's eatwell plate is a visual representation of the types and proportions of foods needed for a healthy, balanced diet. The Department of Health states that it can be gradually applied from the age of 2 years and applied in full from 5 years. However, there are currently no widely available specific food‐based models for 1–3 year‐olds (toddlers). The British Nutrition Foundation, with advice from an expert group, reviewed current dietary guidelines in the UK for 1–3 year‐olds in order to develop a visual food‐based resource depicting the main messages around healthy eating for toddlers. This article provides a summary of the development of this resource, which was produced to help parents, carers, health professionals and early years providers to understand and communicate the basics of healthy eating for this age group and consider other issues such as suitable snacking, healthy hydration, suitable portion sizes and advice regarding supplementation. It is hoped that this resource will help toddlers to establish good dietary habits that will persist into later life.