bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Corroborating evidence‐based medicine
Authors: Mebius Alexander 
Published: April 2014

AbstractProponents of evidence‐based medicine (EBM) have argued convincingly for applying this scientific method to medicine. However, the current methodological framework of the EBM movement has recently been called into question, especially in epidemiology and the philosophy of science. The debate has focused on whether the methodology of randomized controlled trials provides the best evidence available. This paper attempts to shift the focus of the debate by arguing that clinical reasoning involves a patchwork of evidential approaches and that the emphasis on evidence hierarchies of methodology fails to lend credence to the common practice of corroboration in medicine. I argue that the strength of evidence lies in the evidence itself, and not the methodology used to obtain that evidence. Ultimately, when it comes to evaluating the effectiveness of medical interventions, it is the evidence obtained from the methodology rather than the methodology that should establish the strength of the evidence.
Identification and characterization of Argonaute gene family and meiosis‐enriched Argonaute during sporogenesis in maize
Authors: Zhai Lihong , Sun Wei , Zhang Ke , Jia Haitao , Liu Lei , Liu Zhijie , Teng Feng , Zhang Zuxin 
Published: April 2014

AbstractArgonaute (AGO) proteins play a key role in regulation of gene expression through small RNA‐directed RNA cleavage and translational repression, and are essential for multiple developmental processes. In the present study, 17 AGO genes of maize (Zea mays L., ZmAGOs) were identified using a Hidden Markov Model and validated by rapid amplification of cDNA ends assay. Subsequently, quantitative PCR revealed that expressions of these genes were higher in reproductive than in vegetative tissues. AGOs presented five temporal and spatial expression patterns, which were likely modulated by DNA methylation, 5′‐untranslated exons and microRNA‐mediated feedback loops. Intriguingly, ZmAGO18b was highly expressed in tassels during meiosis. Furthermore, in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence showed that ZmAGO18b was enriched in the tapetum and germ cells in meiotic anthers. We hypothesized that ZmAGOs are highly expressed in reproductive tissues, and that ZmAGO18b is a tapetum and germ cell‐specific member of the AGO family in maize.
The Concept(s) of Trust in Late Modernity, the Relevance of Realist Social Theory
Authors: Colledge Barbara , Morgan Jamie , Tench Ralph 
Published: April 2014

AbstractIn this paper, we argue that trust is an important aspect of social reality, one that realist social theory has paid little attention to but which clearly resonates with a realist social ontology. Furthermore, the emergence of an interest in trust in specific subject fields such as organization theory indicates the growing significance of issues of trust as market liberalism has developed. As such, the emergence of an interest in trust provides support forArcher's characterisation of late modernity inThe Reflexive Imperative(2012) as a period of heterogeneity and greater incongruity. Commenting on this provides an opportunity to discuss the issue of habit in relation to trust and also the importance of the analysis of integration as a means to explain problems of trust. The commentary draws on examples from finance.
The usefulness of transient elastography in the assessment of patients with HBeAg‐negative chronic hepatitis B virus infection
Authors: Papatheodoridis G. V. , Manolakopoulos S. , Margariti A. , Papageorgiou M. V. , Kranidioti H. , Katoglou A. , Kontos G. , Adamidi S. , Kafiri G. , Deutsch M. , Pectasides D. 
Published: April 2014

SummaryHistological severity is often mandatory for the management of HBeAg‐negative chronic HBV patients. We evaluated the performance of transient elastography (TE) in this setting. We included 357 untreated HBeAg‐negative patients with ≥1 reliable liver stiffness measurement (LSM‐kPa) by TE: 182 inactive carriers with HBV‐DNA < 2000 (n = 139) or 2000–19 999 IU/mL (n = 43) and 175 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). In carriers, HBV‐DNA > 2000 and/or LSM > 6.5 were considered as biopsy indications. LSMs did not differ between carriers with low and high viremia, but were lower in carriers than in patients with CHB (5.8 ± 1.7 vs 9.0 ± 5.6, P < 0.001) offering moderate differentiation between these two groups (AUROC: 0.705). LSMs did not change significantly in carriers after 16 (12–24) months. In carriers with a liver biopsy, Ishak's staging scores were similar between cased with low and high viremia but higher in cases with LSM > 6.5 than ≤6.5 kPa. Moderate fibrosis (stages: 2–3) was detected in 0/10 carriers with only HBV‐DNA > 2000 IU/mL, 2/10 (20%) carriers with only LSM > 6.5 and 5/10 (50%) carriers with both HBV‐DNA > 2000 and LSM > 6.5 (P = 0.009). In patients with CHB, LSMs correlated significantly with grading and staging scores and offered excellent accuracy for ≥moderate, ≥severe fibrosis or cirrhosis (AUROC ≥ 0.919–0.950). TE can be helpful for the noninvasive assessment of HBeAg‐negative chronic HBV patients. In conclusion, LSMs offer excellent accuracy for fibrosis severity in HBeAg‐negative patients with CHB and can identify carriers with high risk of moderate fibrosis, which may be present in up to 35% of carriers with LSM > 6.5 kPa and 50% of carriers with LSM > 6.5 kPa and HBV‐DNA > 2000 IU/mL.
Computational Approaches to the Pragmatics Problem
Authors: Cummins Chris , de Ruiter Jan P. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractUnlike many aspects of human language, pragmatics involves a systematic many‐to‐many mapping between form and meaning. This renders the computational problems of encoding and decoding meaning especially challenging, both for humans in normal conversation and for artificial dialogue systems that need to understand their users' input. A particularly striking example of this difficulty is the recognition of speech act or dialogue act types. In this review, we discuss why this is a problem and why its solution is potentially relevant both for our understanding of human interaction and for the implementation of artificial systems. We examine some of the theoretical and practical attempts that have been made to overcome this problem and consider how the field might develop in the near future.
Rationales of restricted visiting hour in Iranian intensive care units: a qualitative study
Authors: Tayebi Zahra , borimnejad Leili , Dehghan‐Nayeri Nahid , Kohan Mahmoud 
Published: April 2014

ABSTRACTBackgroundToday, critical care visitation is considered an important aspect of patient‐centred care and its positive effects on patients and their relatives have been demonstrated. However, restricted visiting hours in the intensive care units (ICUs) is often an adopted norm. The reasons for such restricted policies in Iran still remain unknown.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to identify the rationales for restricted visiting hours in adult ICUs in Iran.MethodsA qualitative design using a thematic analysis approach was used for data gathering and analysis. Participants in this study were six nurses, three head nurses, two patients and four visitors. They were chosen through purposive sampling method. Data were gathered through semi‐structured individual interviews.FindingsThe data analysis resulted in three themes: ‘health protection’, ‘safety promotion’ and ‘privacy preservation’.ConclusionThe result showed that through restricted visiting hours, nurses try to protect vulnerable ICU patients from physical, psychological and legal risk. Although the ICU nurses' concerns seem reasonable in some cases, a review of visiting policies in order to meet the needs of patients and their families is essential.Relevance to clinical practiceEffective supervision by charge nurses and regulation of environmental activities with visiting hours can resolve many concerns. Health care professionals, especially nurses, are required to create the conditions in which patients' family members are informed about the patients' health status and patients can be visited in suitable ward conditions.
Subcellular localization of rice acyl‐CoA‐binding proteins (ACBPs) indicates that OsACBP6::GFP is targeted to the peroxisomes
Authors: Meng Wei , Hsiao An‐Shan , Gao Caiji , Jiang Liwen , Chye Mee‐Len 
Published: April 2014

Summary

Acyl‐CoA‐binding proteins (ACBPs) show conservation at the acyl‐CoA‐binding (ACB) domain which facilitates binding to acyl‐CoA esters. In Arabidopsis thaliana, six ACBPs participate in development and stress responses. Rice (Oryza sativa) also contains six genes encoding ACBPs. We investigated differences in subcellular localization between monocot rice and eudicot A. thaliana ACBPs.

The subcellular localization of the six OsACBPs was achieved via transient expression of green fluorescence protein (GFP) fusions in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) epidermal cells, and stable transformation of A. thaliana. As plant ACBPs had not been reported in the peroxisomes, OsACBP6::GFP localization was confirmed by transient expression in rice sheath cells. The function of OsACBP6 was investigated by overexpressing 35S::OsACBP6 in the peroxisomal abc transporter1 (pxa1) mutant defective in peroxisomal fatty acid β‐oxidation.

As predicted, OsACBP1::GFP and OsACBP2::GFP were localized to the cytosol, and OsACBP4::GFP and OsACBP5::GFP to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, OsACBP3::GFP displayed subcellular multi‐localization while OsACBP6::GFP was localized to the peroxisomes. 35S::OsACBP6‐OE/pxa1 lines showed recovery in indole‐3‐butyric acid (IBA) peroxisomal β‐oxidation, wound‐induced VEGETATIVE STORAGE PROTEIN1 (VSP1) expression and jasmonic acid (JA) accumulation.

These findings indicate a role for OsACBP6 in peroxisomal β‐oxidation, and suggest that rice ACBPs are involved in lipid degradation in addition to lipid biosynthesis.
The origins of Dinosauria: much ado about nothing
Authors: Langer Max C. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractResearch this century has greatly improved our knowledge of the origin and early radiation of dinosaurs. The unearthing of several new dinosaurs and close outgroups from Triassic rocks from various parts of the world, coupled with improved phylogenetic analyses, has set a basic framework in terms of timing of events and macroevolutionary patterns. However, important parts of the early dinosauromorph evolutionary history are still poorly understood, rendering uncertain the phylogenetic position of silesaurids as either non‐dinosaur Dinosauriformes or ornithischians, as well as that of various early saurischians, such as Eoraptor lunensis and herrerasaurs, as either noneusaurischians or members of the sauropodomorph or theropod lineages. This lack of agreement in part derives from a patchy distribution of traits among early members of the main dinosauromorph lineages and requires a more meticulous assessment of characters and homologies than those recently conducted. Presently, the oldest uncontroversial dinosaur records come from Late Triassic (Carnian) rocks of South America, southern Africa and India, hinting at a south‐western Pangaea origin of the group. Besides, macroevolutionary approaches suggest that the rise of dinosaurs was a more gradual process than previously understood. Obviously, these tentative scenarios need to be tested by new fossil finds, which should also help close the major gaps recognized in the fossil record of Triassic dinosauromorphs.
The Relation Between Patients' NRS Pain Scores and Their Desire for Additional Opioids after Surgery
Authors: van Dijk Jacqueline F. M. , Kappen Teus H. , Schuurmans Marieke J. , van Wijck Albert J. M. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractBackgroundPostoperative pain is commonly assessed through a numerical rating scale (NRS), an 11‐point scale where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. Guidelines advise the administration of analgesics at NRS pain scores above 3 or 4. In clinical practice, not all patients with pain scores above the treatment threshold are willing to accept additional analgesic treatment, especially when opioids are offered. The objective of this study is to measure the relation between patients' NRS pain scores and their desire for additional opioids.MethodsThis cross‐sectional study examined 1,084 patients in an academic hospital the day after surgery between January 2010 and June 2010. The day after surgery, patients were asked to score their pain and desire for opioids. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the desire for opioids and the different NRS thresholds were calculated.ResultsOnly when patients scored an 8 or higher on the NRS did the majority express a need for opioids. Many patients did not desire opioids, because they considered their pain tolerable, even at an NRS score above 4.ConclusionsWith the current guidelines (ie, using pain scores above 3 or 4 for prescribing opioids), many patients could be overtreated. Therefore, scores generated by the NRS should be interpreted individually.
UV‐Bmediated metabolic rearrangements in poplar revealed by non‐targeted metabolomics
Authors: KALING MORITZ , KANAWATI BASEM , GHIRARDO ANDREA , ALBERT ANDREAS , WINKLER JANA BARBRO , HELLER WERNER , BARTA CSENGELE , LORETO FRANCESCO , SCHMITT‐KOPPLIN PHILIPPE , SCHNITZLER JÖRG‐PETER 
Published: April 2014

AbstractPlants have to cope with various abiotic stresses includingUV‐Bradiation (280–315 nm).UV‐Bradiation is perceived by a photoreceptor, triggers morphological responses and primes plant defence mechanisms such as antioxidant levels, photoreapir or accumulation ofUV‐Bscreening pigments. As poplar is an important model system for trees, we elucidated the influence ofUV‐Bon overall metabolite patterns in poplar leaves grown under highUV‐Bradiation. Combining non‐targeted metabolomics with gas exchange analysis and confocal microscopy, we aimed understanding howUV‐Bradiation triggers metabolome‐wide changes, affects isoprene emission, photosynthetic performance, epidermal light attenuation and finally how isoprene‐free poplars adjust their metabolome underUV‐Bradiation. Exposure toUV‐Bradiation caused a comprehensive rearrangement of the leaf metabolome. Several hundreds of metabolites were up‐ and down‐regulated over various pathways. Our analysis, revealed the up‐regulation of flavonoids, anthocyanins and polyphenols and the down‐regulation of phenolic precursors in the first 36 h ofUV‐Btreatment. We also observed a down‐regulation of steroids after 12 h. The accumulation of phenolic compounds leads to a reduced light transmission inUV‐B‐exposed plants. However, the accumulation of phenolic compounds was reduced in non‐isoprene‐emitting plants suggesting a metabolic‐ or signalling‐based interaction between isoprenoid and phenolic pathways.
Isoprene production in transgenic tobacco alters isoprenoid, non‐structural carbohydrate and phenylpropanoid metabolism, and protects photosynthesis from drought stress
Authors: TATTINI MASSIMILIANO , VELIKOVA VIOLETA , VICKERS CLAUDIA , BRUNETTI CECILIA , DI FERDINANDO MARTINA , TRIVELLINI ALICE , FINESCHI SILVIA , AGATI GIOVANNI , FERRINI FRANCESCO , LORETO FRANCESCO 
Published: April 2014

AbstractIsoprene strengthens thylakoid membranes and scavenges stress‐induced oxidative species. The idea that isoprene production might also influence isoprenoid and phenylpropanoid pathways under stress conditions was tested. We used transgenic tobacco to compare physiological and biochemical traits of isoprene‐emitting (IE) and non‐emitting (NE) plants exposed to severe drought and subsequent re‐watering. Photosynthesis was less affected by drought in IE than in NE plants, and higher rates were also observed in IE than in NE plants recovering from drought. Isoprene emission was stimulated by mild drought. Under severe drought, isoprene emission declined, and levels of non‐volatile isoprenoids, specifically de‐epoxidated xanthophylls and abscisic acid (ABA), were higher in IE than in NE plants. Soluble sugars and phenylpropanoids were also higher in IE plants. After re‐watering, IE plants maintained higher levels of metabolites, but isoprene emission was again higher than in unstressed plants. We suggest that isoprene production in transgenic tobacco triggered different responses, depending upon drought severity. Under drought, the observed trade‐off between isoprene and non‐volatile isoprenoids suggests that in IE plants isoprene acts as a short‐term protectant, whereas non‐volatile isoprenoids protect against severe, long‐term damage. After drought, it is suggested that the capacity to emit isoprene might up‐regulate production of non‐volatile isoprenoids and phenylpropanoids, which may further protect IE leaves.
Gonadotrophic hormone and reinforcement sensitivity systems in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Authors: Ko Chih‐Hung , Long Cheng‐Yu , Yen Cheng‐Fang , Chen Cheng‐Sheng , Wang Peng‐Wei , Yen Ju‐Yu 
Published: April 2014

AimBehavior inhibition and behavior approach system (BIS/BAS) determine the sensitivity to aversion and rewarding stimuli, respectively. This study aimed at evaluating the BIS/BAS of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and effect of estrogen and progesterone on the BIS/BAS.MethodsWomen with PMDD without treatment and control subjects were recruited from the community. The PMDD diagnosis was based on psychiatric interviewing and the result of two‐menstrual‐cycle follow up. A total of 67 women with PMDD and 75 control subjects were recruited and entered the final analysis. They were evaluated with BIS/BAS scale and for estrogen and progesterone levels in both premenstrual and follicular phases.ResultsThe results revealed that BAS score was higher among women with PMDD in both premenstrual and follicular phases. Progesterone level negatively correlated with fun‐seeking, and its change in the menstrual cycle also negatively correlated to a change in fun‐seeking score among women with PMDD. Women with PMDD had a higher score in BIS in the premenstrual phase and the BIS score correlated to depression, anxiety, and hostility among them.ConclusionThese results suggest reward sensitivity of women with PMDD is vulnerable to the effect of progesterone change in the menstrual cycle. Furthermore, the sensitivity to aversive stimuli plays an important role involving core symptoms of PMDD. The reinforcement sensitivity of PMDD deserves further detailed study.
Photoperiodic regulation of receptacle induction in Sargassum horneri (Phaeophyceae) using clonal thalli
Authors: Yoshikawa Shinya , Kamiya Mitsunobu , Ohki Kaori 
Published: April 2014

SummaryWe developed a clonal culture of Sargassum horneri to investigate the effect of photoperiod on reproduction in this species. Regenerated vegetative thalli were obtained using lateral branches excised from a thallus grown from a single embryo under short‐day conditions (SD = 10:14 h light : dark cycle). Lateral branches excised from the SD‐regenerated thallus became vegetative thalli that remained in that phase as long as they were cultured under SD. When an excised lateral branch was cultured under long‐day conditions (LD = 14:10 h light : dark cycle), it began to enter the reproductive phase while still less than 50 mm long. Induction of the reproductive phase was accompanied by a distinctive morphological change – suppression of blade formation at the apical region of the branch; elongation of branches without blades was then followed by differentiation of receptacles bearing conceptacles on their surface. Apices of receptacles were able to interconvert between reproductive and vegetative phases, as blades resprouted upon transfer from LD to SD. The critical day length for induction of receptacle formation was between 13 and 14 h; receptacle formation was also induced under SD conditions with night breaks (NBs). These results strongly suggest that reproductive regulation of S. horneri is a photoperiodic long‐day response. NBs with blue and green light were effective for reproductive induction but not with red light. This suggests that blue‐ and/or green‐light photoreceptors are involved in the photoperiodic reproductive response of S. horneri.
Effect of irradiance and temperature on the photosynthesis of a cultivated red alga, Pyropia tenera (= Porphyra tenera), at the southern limit of distribution in Japan
Authors: Watanabe Yuki , Nishihara Gregory N. , Tokunaga Shigemitsu , Terada Ryuta 
Published: April 2014

SummaryThe effect of irradiance and temperature on the photosynthesis of the red alga, Pyropia tenera, was determined for maricultured gametophytes and sporophytes collected from a region that is known as one of the southern limits of its distribution in Japan. Macroscopic gametophytes were examined using both pulse‐amplitude modulated fluorometry and/or dissolved oxygen sensors. A model of the net photosynthesis–irradiance (P‐E) relationship of the gametophytes at 12°C revealed that the net photosynthetic rate quickly increased at irradiances below the estimated saturation irradiance of 46 μmol photons m−2 s−1, and the compensation irradiance was 9 μmol photons m−2 s−1. Gross photosynthesis and dark respiration for the gametophytes were also determined over a range of temperatures (8–34°C), revealing that the gross photosynthetic rates of 46.3 μmol O2 mgchl‐a−1 min−1 was highest at 9.3 (95% Bayesian credible interval (BCI): 2.3–14.5)°C, and the dark respiration rate increased at a rate of 0.93 μmol O2 mgchl‐a−1 min−1°C−1. The measured dark respiration rates ranged from −0.06 μmol O2 mgchl‐a−1 min−1 at 6°C to −25.2 μmol O2 mgchl‐a−1 min−1 at 34°C. The highest value of the maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) for the gametophytes occurred at 22.4 (BCI: 21.5–23.3) °C and was 0.48 (BCI: 0.475–0.486), although those of the sporophyte occurred at 12.9 (BCI: 7.4–15.1) °C and was 0.52 (BCI: 0.506–0.544). This species may be considered well‐adapted to the current range of seawater temperatures in this region. However, since the gametophytes have such a low temperature requirement, they are most likely close to their tolerable temperatures in the natural environment.
Surgical treatment of mammary carcinomas in dogs with or without postoperative chemotherapy
Authors: Tran C. M. , Moore A. S. , Frimberger A. E. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractThis retrospective study identified prognostic factors associated with survival; and compared survival data in 94 canine mammary carcinoma (MCA) dogs treated with surgery (n= 58), or surgery and adjunct chemotherapy (n= 36), and a subset of dogs with poor prognostic factors. On multivariate analysis independent predictors of median survival time (MST) were clinical stage, lymphatic invasion (LI; present 179 days; none 1098 days), ulceration (present 118 days; none 443 days) and surgical margins (incomplete 70 days; complete 872 days). Complete surgical margins were associated with MST in dogs with stages 1–3 MCA (incomplete 68 days; complete 1098 days) and dogs with LI (incomplete 70 days; complete 347 days). There was no statistically significant improvement in MST in dogs with advanced disease (stage 4 or LI) treated with adjunctive chemotherapy (chemotherapy 228 days; none 194 days); although five dogs with complete surgical margins that received mitoxantrone and carboplatin had a mean survival of 1139 days.