bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
‘It was like he was in the room with us’: patients’ and carers’ perspectives of telemedicine in acute stroke
Authors: Gibson Josephine , Lightbody Elizabeth , McLoughlin Alison , McAdam Joanna , Gibson Alison , Day Elaine , Fitzgerald Jane , May Carl , Price Chris , Emsley Hedley , Ford Gary A , Watkins Caroline 
Published: January 2015

AbstractBackgroundTelemedicine can facilitate delivery of thrombolysis in acute stroke. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore patients’ and carers’ views of their experiences of using a stroke telemedicine system in order to contribute to the development of reliable and acceptable telemedicine systems and training for health‐care staff.MethodWe recruited patients who had, and carers who were present at, recent telemedicine consultations for acute stroke in three hospitals in NW England. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted using an interview guide based on normalization process theory (NPT). Thematic analysis was undertaken.ResultsWe conducted 24 interviews with 29 participants (16 patients; 13 carers). Eleven interviews pertained to ‘live’ telemedicine assessments (at the time of admission); nine had mock‐up telemedicine assessments (within 48 h of admission); four had both assessments. Using the NPT domains as a framework for analysis, factors relating to coherence (sense making) included people's knowledge and understanding of telemedicine. Cognitive participation (relational work) included interaction between staff and with patients and carers. Issues relating to collective action (operational work) included information exchange and support, and technical matters. Findings relating to reflexive monitoring (appraisal) included positive and negative impressions of the telemedicine process, and emotional reactions.ConclusionAlthough telemedicine was well accepted by many participants, its use added an additional layer of complexity to the acute stroke consultation. The ‘remote’ nature of the consultation posed challenges for some patients. These issues may be ameliorated by clear information for patients and carers, staff interpersonal skills, and teamworking.
Optimal numbers of matings: the conditional balance between benefits and costs of mating for females of a nuptial gift‐giving spider
Authors: Toft S. , Albo M. J. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractIn species where females gain a nutritious nuptial gift during mating, the balance between benefits and costs of mating may depend on access to food. This means that there is not one optimal number of matings for the female but a range of optimal mating numbers. With increasing food availability, the optimal number of matings for a female should vary from the number necessary only for fertilization of her eggs to the number needed also for producing these eggs. In three experimental series, the average number of matings for females of the nuptial gift‐giving spider Pisaura mirabilis before egg sac construction varied from 2 to 16 with food‐limited females generally accepting more matings than well‐fed females. Minimal level of optimal mating number for females at satiation feeding conditions was predicted to be 2–3; in an experimental test, the median number was 2 (range 0–4). Multiple mating gave benefits in terms of increased fecundity and increased egg hatching success up to the third mating, and it had costs in terms of reduced fecundity, reduced egg hatching success after the third mating, and lower offspring size. The level of polyandry seems to vary with the female optimum, regulated by a satiation‐dependent resistance to mating, potentially leaving satiated females in lifelong virginity.
Experimental Evaluation of a New Thermal Process for Microorganisms Inactivation
Authors: Cammalleri Marco , Pipitone Emiliano , Rubino Teresa , Saporito Laura , Mammina Caterina 
Published: January 2015

AbstractA new thermal process for the inactivation of microorganisms in beverages has been studied and is presented in this paper. The treatment, not yet studied in the scientific literature, mainly consists of a thermal shock characterized by temperature increases up to 30°C/s, with final temperatures up to 65°C. This study presents the first experimental results obtained by the application of the new thermal treatment, with different combinations of the process parameters (rate of temperature rise, final temperature and holding time), on separate suspensions of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria innocua and Candida albicans. The required rapid temperature increase has been performed by means of a properly designed test bench. The treatment proved to be effective against all the microorganisms tested, obtaining a load reduction greater than 5 Log units. Compared with the commonly employed thermal treatments for microorganisms inactivation, this new process is characterized by a very interesting combination of a short duration (few seconds) and a low final temperature, which makes it particularly attractive for the application in the beverage industry.Practical ApplicationsNowadays, most liquid foods, such as beverages, milk, fruit and vegetables juices, are pasteurized by high‐temperature/short‐time treatments and then bottled or packaged under rigidly maintained sterile conditions. Thanks to the very short duration of this new treatment and to its relatively low maximum temperature (65°C), which does not endanger the plastic materials commonly employed for bottles packaging, its online application in the filling process could be conveniently considered: this would avoid the use of an aseptic environment and the risk of the post‐processing contamination. Moreover, a final temperature as low as 65°C would also preserve the sensorial and nutritional features of the beverage, which are usually deteriorated by the common high temperature treatments, and would be in agreement with the present‐day energy‐saving policy.
β‐Hydroxybutyric Acid Inhibits Growth Hormone‐Releasing Hormone Synthesis and Secretion Through the GPR109A/Extracellular Signal‐Regulated 1/2 Signalling Pathway in the Hypothalamus
Authors: Fu S.‐P. , Liu B.‐R. , Wang J.‐F. , Xue W.‐J. , Liu H.‐M. , Zeng Y.‐L. , Huang B.‐X. , Li S.‐N. , Lv Q.‐K. , Wang W. , Liu J.‐X. 
Published: January 2015

β‐hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) has recently been shown to regulate hormone synthesis and secretion in the hypothalamus. However, little is known about the effects of BHBA‐mediated hormone regulation or the detailed mechanisms by which BHBA regulates growth hormone‐releasing hormone (GHRH) synthesis and secretion. In the present study, we examined the expression of the BHBA receptor GPR109A in primary hypothalamic cell cultures. We hypothesised that BHBA regulates GHRH via GPR109A and its downstream signals. Initial in vivo studies conducted in rats demonstrated that GHRH mRNA expression in the hypothalamus was strongly inversely correlated with BHBA levels in the cerebrospinal fluid during postnatal development (r = −0.89, P < 0.01). Furthermore, i.c.v. administration of BHBA acutely decreased GHRH mRNA expression in rats. Further in vitro studies revealed a decrease in GHRH synthesis and secretion in primary hypothalamic cells after treatment with BHBA; this effect was inhibited when hypothalamic cells were pretreated with pertussis toxin (PTX). BHBA had no effect on GHRH synthesis and secretion in GT1‐7 cells, which do not exhibit cell surface expression of GPR109A. Furthermore, BHBA acutely decreased the transcription of the homeobox gene for Gsh‐1 in the hypothalamus in both in vivo and in vitro, and this effect was also inhibited by PTX in vitro. In primary hypothalamic cells, BHBA activated the extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, p38 and c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinases, as shown by western blot analysis. Moreover, inhibition of ERK1/2 with U0126 attenuated the BHBA‐mediated reduction in Gsh‐1 expression and GHRH synthesis and secretion. These results strongly suggest that BHBA directly regulates GHRH synthesis and secretion via the GPR109A/ERK1/2 MAPK pathway, and also that Gsh‐1 is essential for this function.
Age‐dependent changes in damage processes of hair cuticle
Authors: Takahashi Toshie , Mamada Akira , Breakspear Steven , Itou Takashi , Tanji Noriyuki 
Published: January 2015

SummaryBackgroundHuman hair cuticle is always exposed to various stresses and then gradually lost in daily life. There are two typical patterns of cuticle damage: type L, where the cell membrane complex, the structure located between cuticle cells, is split and the cuticle lifts up, and type E, where the fragile substructure of the cuticle cell (endocuticle) is damaged so that its rugged residue is exposed. We previously reported that type L damage preferentially occurs in the case of Japanese females in their 20s to 40s.AimsThis study aims to elucidate the age‐dependent change of cuticle and its effect on hair properties.MethodsHair fibers collected from Japanese females (ranging from 10 to 70 years old) were evaluated in the aspects of inclination for each type of damage, resistance of cuticle against grooming stresses and content of fatty acid 18‐MEA on hair surface.ResultsIt was revealed that the dominant damage pattern shifts from type L to E with aging. Furthermore, the cuticle becomes gradually less resistant to daily grooming stress. The dominance of type E damage accelerates cuticle loss. Reduction of 18‐MEA on weathered hair is accelerated with aging on elder hair.ConclusionsIt has been reported that various age‐dependent changes of whole hair shaft, such as diameter, density, elasticity, etc., occur in the age range of 40s and 50s. In this study, it was revealed that cuticle becomes more fragile and the hair surface properties deteriorate in the same age range.
Deflected Pathways: Becoming Aggressive, Socially Withdrawn, or Prosocial With Peers During the Transition to Adolescence
Authors: Monahan Kathryn C. , Booth‐LaForce Cathryn 
Published: January 2015

Although research has suggested strong continuity in children's adaptive or maladaptive behavior with peers across the transition to adolescence, less is known about deflected developmental pathways of peer social competence across this transition. This study investigates how mother–child and best friend relationship quality predict the deflection of youth from adaptive to maladaptive behavior with peers or the reverse. Using data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1,055), high‐quality friendships were associated with changes in peer social competence from 3rd to 6th grade. More positive and fewer negative interactions with a friend were linked with becoming more prosocial with peers, whereas less positive interactions with a friend were linked to becoming aggressive or withdrawn.
“Making the Beast with two Backs” – Interracial Relationships in Early Modern England
Authors: Kaufmann Miranda 
Published: January 2015

AbstractShakespeare's tragedy of Othello and Desdemona has long attracted critics to consider the issues of interracial relationships and miscegenation in early modern England. More recently, other black characters have been found in Renaissance literature and an African presence in 16th and 17th century England has been demonstrated from archival sources. This article gives an overview of these developments and their implications for the study of interracial relationships in early modern literature. Evidence from the archives is brought to bear on different aspects of relationships both between black men and white women and between black women and white men. This new information about interracial marriages, as well as sexual intercourse or “fornication”, prostitution and the resulting mixed race children must be incorporated into the discussion of interracial relationships in Renaissance literature.
Phylogenetic skew: an index of community diversity
Authors: Chen Hungyen , Shao Kwang‐Tsao , Kishino Hirohisa 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThe distribution of divergence times between member species of a community reflects the pattern of species composition. In this study, we contrast the species composition of a community against the meta‐community, which we define as the species composition of a set of target communities. We regard the collection of species that comprise a community as a sample from the set of member species of the meta‐community, and interpret the pattern of the community species composition in terms of the type of species sampled from the meta‐community. A newly defined effective species sampling proportion explains the amount of the difference between the divergence time distributions of the community and that of the meta‐community, assuming random sampling. We propose a new index of phylogenetic skew (PS), as the ratio of the maximum‐likelihood estimate of the effective species sampling proportion to the observed sampling proportion. APSvalue of 1 is interpreted as random sampling. If the value is >1, the sampling is suspected to be phylogenetically skewed. If it is <1, systematic thinning of species is likely. Unlike other indices, thePSdoes not depend on species richness as long as the community has more than a few members of a species. Because it is possible to compare partially observed communities, the index may be effectively used in exploratory analysis to detect candidate communities with unique species compositions from a large number of communities.
ICE1 demethylation drives the range expansion of a plant invader through cold tolerance divergence
Authors: Xie H. J. , Li H. , Liu D. , Dai W. M. , He J. Y. , Lin S. , Duan H. , Liu L. L. , Chen S. G. , Song X. L. , Valverde B. E. , Qiang S. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractCold tolerance adaption is a crucial determinant for the establishment and expansion of invasive alien plants into new cold environments; however, its evolutionary mechanism is poorly understood. Crofton weed (Ageratina adenophora), a highly invasive alien plant, is continuously spreading across subtropical areas in China, north‐eastward from the first colonized south‐western tropical regions, through cold tolerance evolution. Close relations between the cold tolerance levels of 34 populations, represented by 147 accessions, and the latitude, extreme lowest temperature, coldest month average temperature, and invasion period have provided direct insight into its cold tolerance divergence. A comparative study of the CBF pathway, associated with the cold tolerance enhancement of cold‐susceptible CBF1‐transgenic plant, among four geographically distinct crofton weed populations revealed that the CBF pathway plays a key role in the observed cold tolerance divergence. Four epialleles of the cold response regulator ICE1 ranged from 66 to 50 methylated cytosines, representing a 4.4% to 3.3% methylation rate and significantly corresponding to the lowest to highest cold tolerance levels among these different populations. The significant negative relation between the transcription levels of the primary CBF pathway members, except for CBF2, and the methylation levels among the four populations firstly demonstrates that the demethylation‐upregulated transcription level of CBF pathway is responsible for this evolution. These facts, combined with the cold tolerance variation and methylation found among three native and two other introduced populations, indicate that the ICE1‐demethylated upregulation of cold tolerance may be the underlying evolutionary mechanism allowing crofton weed to expand northward in China.
Volatile anesthetics for status asthmaticus in pediatric patients: a comprehensive review and case series
Authors: Carrié Sabrina , Anderson Thomas Anthony 
Published: January 2015

SummaryStatus asthmaticus is an acute, intractable asthma attack refractory to standard interventions that can lead to progressive respiratory failure. Successful management requires a fundamental understanding of the disease process, its clinical presentation, and proper evaluation. Treatment must be instituted early and is aimed at reversing the airway inflammation, bronchoconstriction, and hyper‐reactivity that often lead to lower airway obstruction, impaired ventilation, and oxygenation. Most patients are effectively treated with standard therapy including beta2‐adrenergic agonists and corticosteroids. Others necessitate adjunctive therapies and escalation to noninvasive ventilation or intubation. We will review the pathophysiology, evaluation, and treatment options for pediatric patients presenting with status asthmaticus with a particular focus on refractory status asthmaticus treated with volatile anesthetics. In addition, we include a proven approach to the management of these patients in the critical care setting, which requires close coordination between critical care and anesthesia providers. We present a case series of three patients, two of which have the longest reported cases of continuous isoflurane use in status asthmaticus. This series was obtained from a retrospective chart review and highlights the efficacy of the volatile anesthetic, isoflurane, in three pediatric patients with refractory life‐threatening status asthmaticus.
A couple analysis of relationship perception among couples who face work demands
Authors: SWENSON ANDREA R. , ZVONKOVIC ANISA M. , ROJAS‐MCWHINNEY JENNIFER , GERST KATHERINE N. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThis study addresses how couples experiencing work travel demands talk about their relationship. Using a sample of 29 couples who experience work travel, this study examines what couples in separate interviews reported regarding their relationship, and uses mixed‐method strategies to develop a typology of couples. Three different relationship types were uncovered: aware couples who consider a variety of aspects of themselves, their partners, their relationships, and their contexts as they discuss their lives; individually focused couples who discuss their relationship only in terms of themselves and their partners; and isolated couples who discuss their relationships void of context. These findings support the notion that couples have a degree of similarity when it comes to social cognitions of their relationships.
Molecular Epidemiological Characteristics of Klebsiella pneumoniae Associated with Bacteremia among Patients with Pneumonia
Authors: Ito Ryota , Shindo Yuichiro , Kobayashi Daisuke , Ando Masahiko , Jin Wanchun , Wachino Jun-ichi , Yamada Keiko , Kimura Kouji , Yagi Tetsuya , Hasegawa Yoshinori , Arakawa Yoshichika 
Published: January 2015

ABSTRACTSome important virulence factors have been elucidated inKlebsiella pneumoniaeinfections. We investigated the relationship between virulence factors and multilocus sequence types (STs) and assessed the risk factors for bacteremia in patients with pneumonia due toK. pneumoniae. From April 2004 through April 2012, a total of 120K. pneumoniaeisolates from patients with pneumonia (23 with bacteremia and 97 without bacteremia) were collected from 10 medical institutions in Japan. Additionally, 10 strains ofK. pneumoniaeserotype K2 that were isolated >30 years ago were included in this study. These isolates were characterized using multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and the characteristics of their virulence factors, such as hypermucoviscosity phenotype and RmpA and aerobactin production between patients with and without bacteremia, were examined. MLST analysis was performed on the 120 isolates from patients with pneumonia, and some sequence type groups were defined as genetic lineages (GLs). GL65 was more prevalent among patients with bacteremia (21.7%) than in those without bacteremia (7.2%). The majority of the strains with serotype K2 were classified into GL14 or GL65, andrmpAand the gene for aerobactin were present in all GL65-K2 strains but absent in all GL14-K2 strains. In a multivariate analysis, the independent risk factors for bacteremia included GL65 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 9.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.81 to 49.31), as well as neoplastic disease (AOR, 9.94; 95% CI, 2.61 to 37.92), immunosuppression (AOR, 17.85; 95% CI, 1.49 to 214.17), and hypoalbuminemia (AOR, 4.76; 95% CI, 1.29 to 17.61). GL65 was more prevalent among patients with bacteremia and was associated with the virulence factors ofK. pneumoniae.
Criteria for Reducing Unnecessary Testing for Herpes Simplex Virus, Varicella-Zoster Virus, Cytomegalovirus, and Enterovirus in Cerebrospinal Fluid Samples from Adults
Authors: Wilen Craig B. , Monaco Cynthia L. , Hoppe-Bauer Joan , Jackups Ronald , Bucelli Robert C. , Burnham Carey-Ann D. 
Published: January 2015

ABSTRACT

Excessive utilization of laboratory diagnostic testing leads to increased health care costs. We evaluated criteria to reduce unnecessary nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) for viral pathogens in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from adults. This is a single-center split retrospective observational study with a screening cohort from 2008 to 2012 and a validation cohort from 2013. Adults with available results for herpes simplex virus 1/2 (HSV-1/2), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), or enterovirus (EV) NAAT with CSF samples between 2008 and 2013 were included (
n
= 10,917). During this study, 1.3% (
n
= 140) of viral NAAT studies yielded positive results. The acceptance criteria of >10 nucleated cells/μl in the CSF of immunocompetent subjects would have reduced HSV-1/2, VZV, CMV, and EV testing by 63%, 50%, 44%, and 51%, respectively, from 2008 to 2012. When these criteria were applied to the 2013 validation data set, 54% of HSV-1/2, 57% of VZV, 35% of CMV, and 56% of EV tests would have been cancelled. No clinically significant positive tests would have been cancelled in 2013 with this approach. The introduction of a computerized order entry set was associated with increased test requests, suggesting that computerized order sets may contribute to unnecessary testing. Acceptance criteria of >10 nucleated cells/μl in the CSF of immunocompetent adults for viral CSF NAAT assays would increase clinical specificity and preserve sensitivity, resulting in significant cost savings. Implementation of these acceptance criteria led to a 46% reduction in testing during a limited follow-up period.
Molecular Epidemiology of Enterovirus D68 from 2013 to 2014 in Philippines
Authors: Furuse Yuki , Chaimongkol Natthawan , Okamoto Michiko , Imamura Tadatsugu , Saito Mariko , Tamaki Raita , Saito Mayuko ,   Tohoku-RITM Collaborative Research Team, Lupisan Socorro P. , Oshitani Hitoshi 
Published: January 2015

ABSTRACT
Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has been recognized as an important cause of acute respiratory infections. Here we report the molecular epidemiology of EV-D68 in Philippines from 2013 to 2014; we found cases in areas affected by Typhoon Haiyan and found new strains in the country.