bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assisted Early Mobility for Hospitalized Older Veterans: Preliminary Data from the STRIDE Program
Authors: Hastings S. Nicole , Sloane Richard , Morey Miriam C. , Pavon Juliessa M. , Hoenig Helen 
Published: October 2014

An important contributor to hospital‐associated disability is immobility during hospitalization. Preliminary results from STRIDE, a clinical demonstration program of supervised walking for older adults admitted to the hospital with medical illness, are reported. The STRIDE program consisted of a targeted gait and balance assessment by a physical therapist, followed by daily walks supervised by a recreation therapy assistant for the duration of the hospital stay. To examine program effectiveness, STRIDE participants (n = 92) were compared with individuals referred but not enrolled (because of refusal or because program was at capacity, n = 35). Median length of stay was 4.7 days for STRIDE participants and 5.7 days for individuals receiving usual care (P = .31). There was one inpatient fall in each group (not associated with a STRIDE walk). Overall, 92% of STRIDE participants were discharged to home (rather than a skilled nursing facility (SNF)) compared to 74% of individuals receiving usual care (P = .007). Thirty‐day emergency department visit rates and readmission rates were not significantly different between the two groups. STRIDE, a supervised walking program for hospitalized older adults, was feasible and safe, and program participants were less likely to be discharged to a SNF than a demographically similar comparison group. STRIDE is a promising interdisciplinary approach to promoting mobility and improving outcomes in hospitalized older adults.
Insomnia in Long‐Term Care Facilities: A Comparison of Seven European Countries and Israel: The Services and Health for Elderly in Long TERm care Study
Authors: Gindin Jacob , Shochat Tamar , Chetrit Angela , Epstein Shulamit , Ben Israel Yehoshua , Levi Sarah , Onder Graziano , Carpenter Ian , Finne‐Soveri Harriet , van Hout Hein , Henrard Jean‐Claude , Nikolaus Thorsten , Topinkova Eva , Fialová Daniela , Bernabei Roberto ,   the SHELTER project
Published: October 2014

ObjectivesTo assess insomnia and its correlates as part of the Services and Health for Elderly in Long TERm care (SHELTER) study, funded by the 7th Framework Programme of the European Union.DesignCross‐cultural investigation.SettingLong‐term care facilities (LTCFs) in eight European countries (Czech Republic, France, Finland, Germany, England, the Netherlands, Italy) and one non‐European country (Israel).ParticipantsElderly residents (N = 4,156) of 57 LTCFs.MeasurementsInformation on insomnia, age, sex, activities of daily living (ADLs), cognitive status, depression, major stressful life events, physical activity, fatigue, pain, and sleep medication use was extracted from the International Resident Assessment Instrument (interRAI)LTCF instrument. Rates of insomnia and its correlates were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with insomnia, controlling for demographic variables.ResultsThe prevalence of insomnia was 24% (range 13–30%), with significant differences between countries (P < .001). More insomnia complaints were reported in older than younger residents (P < .001). Higher rates of insomnia were associated with hypnosedatives and depression in all countries (P < .001) and with stressful life events, fatigue, and pain in most countries (P < .001). No associations were found between insomnia and ADLs, physical activity, or cognitive status. Age, depression, stressful life events, fatigue, pain and hypnosedatives were independent significant predictors of insomnia, controlling for all other variables and for country.ConclusionHypnosedatives and depression were strong predictors of insomnia beyond cultural differences. Overall, psychosocial variables were more strongly related to insomnia than functional and mental capacities.
Effects of feeding a soft diet and subsequent rehabilitation on the development of the masticatory function
Authors: Fujishita A. , Koga Y. , Utsumi D. , Nakamura A. , Yoshimi T. , Yoshida N. 
Published: October 2014

SummaryIt has been suggested that feeding a soft diet could possibly inhibit normal development of the masticatory function. However, the consequences of such changes in the alimentary habits have yet to be fully clarified. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether a soft diet prevents the development of masticatory function and whether a critical period for programming the masticatory system exists. To examine these hypotheses, we used a three‐dimensional jaw‐movement tracking device and jaw muscle electromyography (EMG) to analyse masticatory function changes in mice. Jcl:ICR mice were divided into three groups, with the normal group fed a hard diet, the hypofunctional group fed a soft diet, and the rehabilitation group first fed a soft diet that was then changed to a hard diet. Our results showed that the excursion and duration of late‐closing phase (occlusal phase) of the chewing cycle and EMG activity in the masseter muscle were not only reduced in the hypofunctional but also in the rehabilitation group as compared with the normal group. These results suggest that optimisation of the chewing pattern and acquisition of appropriate masticatory function are impeded by feeding a soft diet during the animal's growth period and that no catch‐up effect of the masticatory function is observed when there is a prolonged period of time prior to changing the diet from soft to hard. In conclusion, masticatory function can only be fully developed through a learning process such as exposure to chewing various kinds of foods with different food textures.
Application of ancient DNA to the reconstruction of past microbial assemblages and for the detection of toxic cyanobacteria in subtropical freshwater ecosystems
Authors: Martínez de la Escalera Gabriela , Antoniades Dermot , Bonilla Sylvia , Piccini Claudia 
Published: October 2014

AbstractAncient DNA (aDNA) analysis of lake sediments is a promising tool for detecting shifts in past microbial assemblages in response to changing environmental conditions. We examined sediment core samples from subtropical, freshwater Laguna Blanca (Uruguay), which has been severely affected by cultural eutrophication since 1960 and where cyanobacterial blooms, particularly those of the saxitoxin‐producer Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii, have been reported since the 1990s. Samples corresponding to ~1846, 1852, 2000 and 2007 AD were selected to perform denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of the 16S–23S rRNA intergenic transcribed spacer (ribosomal ITS) to compare their prokaryotic assemblage composition. Each stratum showed different ITS patterns, but the composition of 21st century samples was clearly different than those of mid‐19th century. This compositional change was correlated with shifts in sediment organic matter and chlorophyll a content, which were significantly higher in recent samples. The presence of saxitoxin‐producing cyanobacteria was addressed by quantitative real‐time PCR of the sxtU gene involved in toxin biosynthesis. This gene was present only in recent samples, for which clone libraries and ITS sequencing indicated the presence of Cyanobacteria. Phylogenetic analyses identified C. raciborskii only in the 2000 sample, shortly after several years when blooms were recorded in the lake. These data suggest the utility of aDNA for the reconstruction of microbial assemblage shifts in subtropical lakes, at least on centennial scales. The application of aDNA analysis to genes involved in cyanotoxin synthesis extends the applicability of molecular techniques in palaeolimnological studies to include key microbial community characteristics of great scientific and social interest.
Immune response genes and pathogen presence predict migration survival in wild salmon smolts
Authors: Jeffries Ken M. , Hinch Scott G. , Gale Marika Kirstin , Clark Timothy D. , Lotto Andrew G. , Casselman Matthew T. , Li Shaorong , Rechisky Erin L. , Porter Aswea D. , Welch David W. , Miller Kristina M. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractWe present the first data to link physiological responses and pathogen presence with subsequent fate during migration of wild salmonid smolts. We tagged and non‐lethally sampled gill tissue from sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) smolts as they left their nursery lake (Chilko Lake, BC, Canada) to compare gene expression profiles and freshwater pathogen loads with migration success over the first ~1150 km of their migration to the North Pacific Ocean using acoustic telemetry. Fifteen per cent of smolts were never detected again after release, and these fish had gene expression profiles consistent with an immune response to one or more viral pathogens compared with fish that survived their freshwater migration. Among the significantly upregulated genes of the fish that were never detected postrelease were MX (interferon‐induced GTP‐binding protein Mx) and STAT1 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 1‐alpha/beta), which are characteristic of a type I interferon response to viral pathogens. The most commonly detected pathogen in the smolts leaving the nursery lake was infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV). Collectively, these data show that some of the fish assumed to have died after leaving the nursery lake appeared to be responding to one or more viral pathogens and had elevated stress levels that could have contributed to some of the mortality shortly after release. We present the first evidence that changes in gene expression may be predictive of some of the freshwater migration mortality in wild salmonid smolts.
Testing hypotheses of mitochondrial gene‐tree paraphyly: unravelling mitochondrial capture of the Streak‐breasted Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus ruficollis) by the Taiwan Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus musicus)
Authors: Dong Feng , Zou Fa‐Sheng , Lei Fu‐Min , Liang Wei , Li Shou‐Hsien , Yang Xiao‐Jun 
Published: October 2014

AbstractSpecies‐level paraphyly inferred from mitochondrial gene trees is a prevalent phenomenon in taxonomy and systematics, but there are several potential causes that are not easily explained by currently used methods. This study aimed to test the underlying causes behind the observed paraphyly of Streak‐breasted Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus ruficollis) via statistical analyses of four mitochondrial (mtDNA) and nine nuclear (nuDNA) genes. Mitochondrial gene trees show paraphyly ofP. ruficolliswith respect to the Taiwan Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus musicus), but nuclear genealogies support a sister‐group relationship. Predictive coalescent simulations imply several hypothetical explanations, the most likely being mitochondrial capture ofP. ruficollisbyP. musicusfor the observed cyto‐nuclear incongruence. Further approximate Bayesian computation suggests a unidirectional introgression model with substantial level of gene flow fromP. ruficollistoP. musicusduring their initial divergence during the Late Pleistocene. This specific observation frames several potential causes for incongruent outcomes of mitochondrial and nuclear introgression in general, and on the whole, our results underscore the strength of multiple independent loci for species delimitation and importance of testing hypotheses that explain disparate causes of mitochondrial gene‐tree paraphyly.
A balancing act times two: sensing and regulating cell envelope homeostasis in Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Fritz Georg , Mascher Thorsten 
Published: October 2014

SummaryBacterial cell wall homeostasis is an intricately coordinated process that ensures that envelope integrity is maintained during cell growth and division, but can also adequately respond to growth‐limiting conditions such as phosphate starvation. In Bacillus subtilis, biosynthesis of the two major cell wall components, peptidoglycan and anionic polymers, is controlled by a pair of paralogous two‐component systems, WalRK and PhoPR respectively. Favorable growth conditions allow for a fast rate of cell wall biosynthesis (WalRK‐ON) and the incorporation of the phosphate‐containing anionic polymer teichoic acids (PhoPR‐OFF). In contrast, growth‐restricted cells under phosphate‐limiting conditions reduce the incorporation of peptidoglycan building blocks (WalRK‐OFF) and switch from the phosphate‐containing teichoic acids to the phosphate‐free anionic polymer teichuronic acid (PhoPR‐ON). Botella et al. (2014) deepen our knowledge on the PhoPR system by identifying one signal that is perceived by its histidine kinase PhoR. In fast‐growing cells, intracellular intermediates of teichoic acid biosynthesis are sensed by the cytoplasmic Per‐Arnt‐Sim domain as an indicator of favorable conditions, thereby inhibiting the autokinase activity of PhoR and keeping the system inactive. Depletion of teichoic acid building blocks under phosphate‐limiting conditions relieves this inhibition, activates PhoPR‐dependent signal transduction and hence the switch to teichuronic acid biosynthesis.
The Value of Theology in a Scientific Age
Authors: Keogh Gary 
Published: October 2014

AbstractThe value of theology as a discipline has been challenged in recent years by a number of high-profile scientists, most prominently perhaps Stephen Hawking and Richard Dawkins. It has been questioned whether theology can bring anything to the table, particularly when compared with the clearly evident successes of modern science. This paper will take this challenge seriously and explore what value theology may have in the context of a scientific age, where the successes of the sciences have clearly reshaped how we think about the world. It will argue that theology offers a space and a language for discourse on the ineffable and intangible aspects of human experience, and can address the implicit philosophical and theological connotations of the scientific worldview.
Beyond mice and men: environmental change, immunity and infections in wild ungulates
Authors: Jolles A. E. , Beechler B. R. , Dolan B. P. 
Published: October 2014

SummaryIn the face of rapid environmental change, anticipating shifts in microparasite and macroparasite dynamics, including emergence events, is an enormous challenge. We argue that immunological studies in natural populations are pivotal to meeting this challenge: many components of environmental change – shifts in biotic assemblages, altered climate patterns and reduced environmental predictability – may affect host immunity. We suggest that wild ungulates can serve as model systems aiding the discovery of immunological mechanisms that link environmental change with parasite transmission dynamics. Our review of eco‐immunological studies in wild ungulates reveals progress in understanding how co‐infections affect immunity and parasite transmission and how environmental and genetic factors interact to shape immunity. Changes in bioavailability of micronutrients have been linked to immunity and health in wild ungulates. Although physiological stress in response to environmental change has been assessed, downstream effects on immunity have not been studied. Moreover, the taxonomic range of ungulates studied is limited to bovids (bighorn sheep, Soay sheep, chamois, musk oxen, bison, African buffalo) and a few cervids (red deer, black‐tailed deer). We discuss areas where future studies in ungulates could lead to significant contributions in understanding the patterns of immunity and infection in natural populations and across species.
Diagnostic role of inflammatory and anti‐inflammatory cytokines and effector molecules of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in tuberculous pleural effusion
Authors: Shu Chin‐Chung , Wang Jann‐Yuan , Hsu Chia‐Lin , Keng Li‐Ta , Tsui Kochung , Lin Jeng‐Feng , Lai Hsin‐Chih , Yu Chong‐Jen , Lee Li‐Na , Luh Kwen‐Tay 
Published: October 2014

AbstractBackground and objectiveEarly diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) remains difficult. While some inflammatory markers in pleural effusion (PE) are helpful in diagnosis, the roles of anti‐inflammatory cytokines and effector molecules of cytotoxic T lymphocytes have not been investigated.MethodsLymphocyte‐predominant exudative PE samples were assayed for inflammatory and anti‐inflammatory cytokines and effector molecules of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Logistic regression analysis was used to predict the probability of TPE and identify independently associated factors. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was applied to determine the optimal cut‐off value for the predicted probability.ResultsOf 95 patients enrolled, 35 had TPE, 46 had malignant PE and 14 had PE due to other aetiologies. Interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ), adenosine deaminase (ADA), decoy receptor (DcR) 3, monocyte chemo‐attractant protein (MCP)‐1, IFN‐induced protein (IP)‐10, granzyme A and perforin were higher in TPE than in PE of other aetiologies. By logistic regression analysis, IFN‐γ ≥ 75 pg/mL, ADA ≥ 40 IU/mL, DcR3 ≥ 9.3 ng/mL and soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNF‐sR1) ≥ 3.2 ng/mL were independent factors associated with TPE. The predicted probability based on the four predictors had an area under the ROC curve of 0.920, with 82.9% sensitivity and 86.7% specificity under the cut‐off value of 0.303. In the TPE group, patients with positive PE/pleural culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis had higher pleural IFN‐γ, MCP‐1, IP‐10 and perforin than those with positive sputum but negative PE culture.ConclusionsWhile pleural interferon‐γ and ADA are conventional markers for diagnosing TPE, simultaneous measurements of DcR3 and TNF‐sR1 can improve the diagnostic efficacy.
Moment Consistency of the Exchangeably Weighted Bootstrap for Semiparametric M‐estimation
Authors: Cheng Guang 
Published: October 2014

AbstractThe bootstrap variance estimate is widely used in semiparametric inferences. However, its theoretical validity is a well‐known open problem. In this paper, we provide a first theoretical study on the bootstrap moment estimates in semiparametric models. Specifically, we establish the bootstrap moment consistency of the Euclidean parameter, which immediately implies the consistency of t‐type bootstrap confidence set. It is worth pointing out that the only additional cost to achieve the bootstrap moment consistency in contrast with the distribution consistency is to simply strengthen the L1 maximal inequality condition required in the latter to the Lp maximal inequality condition for p≥1. The general Lp multiplier inequality developed in this paper is also of independent interest. These general conclusions hold for the bootstrap methods with exchangeable bootstrap weights, for example, non‐parametric bootstrap and Bayesian bootstrap. Our general theory is illustrated in the celebrated Cox regression model.
Homology‐dependent repair is involved in 45S rDNA loss in plant CAF‐1 mutants
Authors: Muchová Veronika , Amiard Simon , Mozgová Iva , Dvořáčková Martina , Gallego Maria E. , White Charles , Fajkus Jiří 
Published: October 2014

SummaryArabidopsis thaliana mutants in FAS1 and FAS2 subunits of chromatin assembly factor 1 (CAF1) show progressive loss of 45S rDNA copies and telomeres. We hypothesized that homology‐dependent DNA damage repair (HDR) may contribute to the loss of these repeats in fas mutants. To test this, we generated double mutants by crossing fas mutants with knock‐out mutants in RAD51B, one of the Rad51 paralogs of A. thaliana. Our results show that the absence of RAD51B decreases the rate of rDNA loss, confirming the implication of RAD51B‐dependent recombination in rDNA loss in the CAF1 mutants. Interestingly, this effect is not observed for telomeric repeat loss, which thus differs from that acting in rDNA loss. Involvement of DNA damage repair in rDNA dynamics in fas mutants is further supported by accumulation of double‐stranded breaks (measured as γ‐H2AX foci) in 45S rDNA. Occurrence of the foci is not specific for S‐phase, and is ATM‐independent. While the foci in fas mutants occur both in the transcribed (intranucleolar) and non‐transcribed (nucleoplasmic) fraction of rDNA, double fas rad51b mutants show a specific increase in the number of the intranucleolar foci. These results suggest that the repair of double‐stranded breaks present in the transcribed rDNA region is RAD51B dependent and that this contributes to rDNA repeat loss in fas mutants, presumably via the single‐stranded annealing recombination pathway. Our results also highlight the importance of proper chromatin assembly in the maintenance of genome stability.
Red blood cell transfusion and immune function in critically ill children: a prospective observational study
Authors: Muszynski Jennifer A. , Frazier Elfaridah , Nofziger Ryan , Nateri Jyotsna , Hanson‐Huber Lisa , Steele Lisa , Nicol Kathleen , Spinella Philip C. , Hall Mark W. ,   Pediatric Critical Care Blood Research Network (Blood Net) subgroup of the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators (PALISI)
Published: October 2014

BackgroundOur previous in vitro work showed that stored red blood cells (RBCs) increasingly suppress markers of innate immune function with increased storage time. This multicenter prospective observational study tests the hypothesis that a single RBC transfusion in critically ill children is associated with immune suppression as a function of storage time.Study Design and MethodsBlood samples were taken immediately before and 24 (±6) hours after a single RBC transfusion ordered as part of routine care. Innate and adaptive immune function was assessed by ex vivo whole blood stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and phytohemagglutinin, respectively. Monocyte HLA‐DR expression, regulatory T cells, plasma interleukin (IL)‐6, and IL‐8 levels were also measured.ResultsThirty‐one transfused critically ill children and eight healthy controls were studied. Critically ill subjects had lower pretransfusion LPS‐induced tumor necrosis factor‐α production capacity compared to healthy controls, indicating innate immune suppression (p < 0.0002). Those who received RBCs stored for not more than 21 days demonstrated recovery of innate immune function (p = 0.02) and decreased plasma IL‐6 levels (p = 0.002) over time compared to children transfused with older blood, who showed persistence of systemic inflammation and innate immune suppression. RBC storage time was not associated with changes in adaptive immune function.ConclusionIn this pilot cohort of critically ill children, transfusion with older prestorage leukoreduced RBCs was associated with persistence of innate immune suppression and systemic inflammation. This was not seen with fresher RBCs. RBC transfusion had no short‐term association with adaptive immune function. Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings in a larger cohort of patients.